Jonathan Taylor is still in Indianapolis, and for now that means the Colts’ most recognizable offensive star can keep talking about football instead of his future.
After a month of trade buzz, Taylor said Thursday he’s back to “regular scheduled programming” following Tuesday’s deadline, when the Colts moved four starters but kept the three-time Pro Bowler in place. He didn’t offer a straight yes-or-no answer when asked whether he wanted to be dealt, but he made it clear the speculation is over as far as he’s concerned.
“It’s all water under the bridge now,” Taylor told reporters. “So, that’s why I was excited to come see you guys because I’m thinking we’re gonna talk about the Miami Dolphins now. I thought you were all sick of (the trade rumors).”
That’s where the Colts’ attention turns next. They host Miami on Sunday and are trying to stop a five-game skid, though the roster around Taylor looks thinner after a busy deadline that stripped away four starters.
Indianapolis sent All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and six-time Pro Bowler wide receiver Keenan Allen to the San Francisco 49ers for 2027 fourth-round and sixth-round picks, respectively. The Colts also dealt wide receiver Josh Downs and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for 2027 fourth-round and fifth-round picks. All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson was shipped to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder.
All four players were on expiring deals, but Taylor was in a different spot. He signed a two-year, $44 million extension in August that runs through the 2028 season, which meant the Colts didn’t have to make a move with free agency hanging over them.
There had been real interest, though. New York Giants coach John Harbaugh said Sunday, two days before the deadline, that the Giants had tried to land Taylor, and Fox Sports reported New York offered a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick. The Colts still held firm.
“I’m not saying that report’s not true,” Harbaugh said after the Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. “Those conversations are taking place. If something happens for any player, (I) can’t talk about any (specific) player because they’re with other teams right now, but we’re not ruling anything out.”
Instead of changing teams, Taylor now gets ready for a Week 12 home game against the Giants.
He acknowledged the Colts “lost some gold standard guys” at the deadline, but he also made it clear that the front office’s bigger-picture decisions are not his call.
“Those are some hard decisions that you have to make,” Taylor said. “I’m glad I don’t have to make those decisions. … I would hate to be in that situation, but I know that they have a vision and a plan for it.”
Daniel Jones, meanwhile, sounded far less comfortable with the fallout. The quarterback said the trades that sent away Nelson, Downs and Allen hit the offense hard, even if there’s nothing the players can do about it.
“Honestly, you’re not happy to see it, right?” Jones said.
“You’re a player, and you’re going out there and competing and doing everything you can to win games. So, you’re not happy to see a lot of those decisions, but like I said, it’s outside of our control and our job is to be prepared and play and play well.”
The Colts’ offense has struggled even before the deadline shakeup. With Allen and Downs, who combined for 73 catches for 705 yards and two touchdowns this season, Indianapolis still ranks 24th in scoring at 20.4 points per game. Jones has also had a rough year, carrying a league-low 68.9 passer rating.
The receiver depth chart now looks especially thin. Laquon Treadwell leads the remaining wideouts with 16 catches for 215 yards, and coach Shane Steichen said Anthony Gould will step in as the starting slot receiver in Downs’ place. Gould, a 2024 fifth-round pick, has played only two offensive snaps this season and has just four catches for 45 yards in three years.
The bigger picture is even bleaker. Indianapolis has dropped 14 of its last 16 games and is trending toward a sixth straight season without a playoff berth, which would be the franchise’s longest drought since the 1990s.
Taylor, who hasn’t played in a playoff game since his rookie season in 2020, was asked whether he’d be willing to ride through a rebuild. He still wouldn’t go there.
“Moves have already been made,” Taylor said, zeroing in on this week. “It’s time to go win versus Miami, baby.”
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For Colts fans, the name worth noticing is Alec Pierce, who fits neatly into that kind of environment. The analysis around this weeks player pool points to favorable defensive vulnerabilities and the chance for expanded involvement, which is exactly the sort of setup that can turn a secondary option into a useful fantasy play. It is not a glamorous storyline, but in a week defined by absences and shifting target shares, Pierce has become the kind of receiver DFS players tend to circle when they are hunting for a little edge. [Read more 🡒]