The Packers took care of business Sunday, rolling past the New England Patriots 45-27 to move to 6-3. But even with that win in the books, Green Bay’s backfield still looks like a problem waiting to be solved.
Josh Jacobs made his second start at running back this season after injuries and off-field issues, but the day went nowhere fast. He carried the ball four times for just five yards and didn’t add a catch. For a team that has invested heavily in him, that kind of production only sharpens the concern.
That’s why the trade market suddenly makes sense for Green Bay, and why Indianapolis could be the team to watch. After firing GM Chris Ballard, the Colts have started tearing things down. They already moved veteran leaders Quentin Nelson and DeForest Buckner to two different NFC West contenders, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, and there are still pieces left that could be dealt before the deadline.
The biggest name still out there is Jonathan Taylor. Through nine games, Taylor has 161 carries for 656 yards and eight touchdowns.
He hasn’t topped 100 yards in a game this season, but he has gone over 90 yards five times. Even so, with Indianapolis sitting at 2-7 after getting pummeled by the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend, a postseason push feels out of reach.
Taylor’s situation in Indianapolis has only become more frustrating. The Colts just lost Nelson, which means Taylor no longer has his best blocker in front of him, and Shane Steichen’s play calling hasn’t exactly helped.
With less than 24 hours to go before the trade deadline, the sense is that Indianapolis hasn’t landed the kind of offer it wants. That opens the door for Brian Gutekunst and the Packers.
Green Bay’s offense looked strong against New England, but the ground game still needs a jolt. Former Pittsburgh Steelers third-round pick Kaleb Johnson, acquired before the season, led the team with 68 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Jacobs also saw carries go to Pierre Strong Jr., who wasn’t even part of the picture when the season began.
If Gutekunst wants to make a real push, the proposal is straightforward: call the Colts and see whether a 2028 second-round pick gets it done. If not, add a 2027 fourth- or fifth-rounder and keep pressing. It may take a little more than that, but if Green Bay wants to give itself the best possible shot at a Super Bowl run, bringing Taylor to Lambeau Field would be a major step.
In Other News...
Colts Fans Are Staring At An Uncomfortable Daniel Jones Decision
Daniel Jones has spent much of this season trying to steady an offense that has not found much consistency, and the Colts are still weighing what comes next at quarterback. His recent stretch has included multiple games under 200 passing yards, and the broader line on his season is hard to ignore: six touchdowns against 10 interceptions over nine games, a profile that has done little to calm the frustration around a disappointing year.
Inside the organization, there is at least some discussion about whether Anthony Richardson should get more playing time as another option under center. For Colts fans, the bigger issue is not just Jones' numbers, but whether the current setup gives the team any real chance to change the direction of a season that has already slipped. The quarterback picture remains unsettled, and the next move figures to say plenty about how the Colts view the rest of this year. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Already Have A Painful Sauce Gardner Problem
The Colts made a massive bet on Sauce Gardner, sending two first-round picks and a wide receiver to New York in the hope they were landing the kind of shutdown corner who can change a defense overnight. Instead, the early returns have been uneasy, with Gardner not yet looking like the elite answer Indianapolis envisioned when it paid such a steep price to bring him in.
The concern only grew after a recent game against Dallas, where a costly coverage breakdown became part of the larger frustration around the move. When a team surrenders premium draft capital for a player of Gardners caliber, every missed assignment and every shaky sequence gets magnified, and right now the Colts are left trying to justify a deal whose long-term cost is becoming harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Face QB Uncertainty As Vikings Search For Help
The quarterback market is starting to stir ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline, and Indianapolis has suddenly found itself part of the conversation. Minnesota is reportedly exploring ways to add a quarterback, with NFL Networks Ian Rapoport pointing to Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones as possible targets as the Vikings look for help.
For the Colts, the immediate wrinkle is Jones, who had been mentioned as a fit in the rumor mill. Indianapolis has already made clear it is not moving him, even as Minnesota continues to search for options and the deadline clock keeps ticking. The Vikings may still chase a deal, but for now the Colts stance leaves one potential avenue closed. [Read more 🡒]
