The Indianapolis Colts’ all-in move for Sauce Gardner may look a lot different if 2026 goes sideways.
What was supposed to be the kind of swing that pushes a team deeper into a championship window could instead leave Indianapolis staring at a season that starts without Daniel Jones at quarterback. If that happens, the ripple effects could hit Jonathan Taylor and the rest of the offense fast.
That’s the scenario Ben Solak of ESPN laid out when he made 10 predictions for the 2026 NFL season, and his read was a blunt one: the Colts would trade Taylor to the Chicago Bears.
Taylor is in a tricky spot for a team that has already committed big money elsewhere on offense. He has only one year left on his contract, his age is beginning to matter, and another major payday from Indianapolis does not seem likely. If the Colts are not in contention right away, the front office could be forced into seller mode.
That’s where the Gardner trade comes back into the picture. Indianapolis sent two first-round picks - one of which turned into No. 16 pick Kenyon Sadiq in 2026 - plus training camp standout Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets. If the season turns sour, that aggressive bet could leave the Colts with little choice but to move veteran pieces for draft capital.
Taylor already showed what this offense can look like when the quarterback situation is right. Before Jones got hurt, he was barreling toward Offensive Player of the Year.
Through his first 10 games, Taylor averaged 114 yards per game, a pace that would have put him just under 2,000 yards over a full season. His 17 total touchdowns in those 10 games projected to 29, which would have trailed only LaDainian Tomlinson’s NFL record of 31.
Once Jones went down, Taylor’s production fell off, and with it his All-Pro buzz. Jones is not locked in as the Week 1 starter, the roster around him has steadily lost impact players, and the AFC South has gotten better. That leaves Indianapolis facing a tougher path than it expected a few months ago.
If the Colts decide to recast their outlook, Taylor would be one of their most valuable trade chips. He is coming off consecutive seasons of at least 1,400 rushing yards and ranks fifth all-time in yards per game at 90.5, behind only Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, and Eric Dickerson. That kind of resume would draw plenty of interest.
Chicago makes sense as a possible landing spot. The Bears are working with a D’Andre Swift/Kyle Monangai tandem and would be trying to get the most out of that backfield while Caleb Williams remains on his rookie deal.
For now, the Colts have an All-Pro corner in Gardner. But if the season breaks the wrong way, the price of that move could be Taylor being flipped for picks. A few months can change a lot.
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