Jonathan Taylor’s trade buzz picked up another strange wrinkle this week, and it came straight from his wife’s social media activity.
Ayanna Taylor, the wife of the Indianapolis Colts running back, has been openly wondering what the family’s future looks like as the team continues to make big moves. After the Colts stumbled to a 2-5 start, they traded guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and sent veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers. Ayanna Taylor reacted to that roster shake-up by asking whether anyone is safe, whether she needs to pack her bags, and whether her husband could be next.
Jonathan Taylor said he hasn’t spent much time dwelling on the rumors and made it clear he supports his wife speaking her mind. With that backing, she kept posting this week, and she went a step further in the comments of one of her videos. She liked two comments that stood out: one saying, “JT to Denver,” and another showing a picture of Kyler Murray holding a Super Bowl trophy.
That only added fuel to a trade conversation that has already tied Taylor to the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos ahead of the NFL trade deadline. Vikings reporter Alec Lewis said he isn’t ruling out Minnesota making a move for Taylor.
“People have asked me about [the Taylor trade rumor], and what can I report? I’ve said the same thing: I’m not going to rule it out because I know they want to be active,” Lewis said in an Oct. 29 video from “Vikings Collective.”
“I also know the need at the running back position right now. I just spent a lot of time talking about split safety and their inability to run against split safety.
An elite running back would obviously help with that.”
Both the Colts and Vikings are chasing Super Bowl aspirations, and Taylor would fit into that kind of conversation in a hurry. He has 140 carries for 587 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, along with a 4.2 yards per attempt average and 16 missed tackles forced as a runner.
In Other News...
Vikings May Have Found The Easiest Way To Settle Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray has had four full games to settle into the Vikings offense, and the results have been uneven enough that Minnesota still looks like a team searching for the cleanest path to rhythm. The next chance comes against Detroit, a defense that has had its share of trouble this season, and the matchup points toward a place Minnesota can lean on without overcomplicating things.
T.J. Hockenson stands out as the obvious pressure valve in that plan. The Lions have been vulnerable in the middle of the field, which gives the Vikings a chance to keep Murray on schedule and let the tight end do the heavy lifting in the passing game. If Minnesota wants a simpler way to steady the offense, this looks like the kind of opponent that can make that approach work. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Could Make One Offensive Move Fans Won't Stop Debating
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Vikings are at least doing their homework on offense. NFL insider James Palmer reported that general manager Nolan Teasley has been actively exploring trade options, with running back and tight end among the positions Minnesota is monitoring as it tries to sort through a stretch of injuries and keep the roster balanced.
The running back chatter is the part that will keep fans talking, especially with Minnesota already connected to Jonathan Taylor as a possible target. The Vikings also have multiple draft picks to work with, which gives them some flexibility if they decide to make a move, but for now the bigger question is how aggressive they want to be before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
J.J. McCarthy Is Reviving A Vikings What-If In New York
J.J. McCarthys first start for the Giants gave New York a glimpse of why the quarterback was such a fascinating prospect in the first place, and it also reopened an old Vikings conversation in a new setting. Giants general manager Joe Schoen addressed the teams quarterback picture after the debut, noting the presence of two young passers on the roster and the possibility that the position could become a real competition going forward.
For Minnesota, McCarthys rise in New York brings back the familiar what-if attached to a player whose path has already included injury setbacks and a long wait to get on the field. His promising showing only adds to the sense that the Giants may have found a piece worth building around, while Vikings fans are left to wonder how different things might have looked if his development had unfolded in purple instead. [Read more 🡒]