Two non-Dolphins Jonathan Taylor suitors may have emerged. The Bears and Broncos are believed to have expressed interest Taylor, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes.
Having more teams enter the fray will help the Colts and Taylor’s camp drive a market, but Jackson adds no team has submitted an offer that meets the AFC South team’s demands. The Colts are said to want a first-round pick or a package similar in value. No team has traded a first-rounder for a running back since the Colts did so (for Trent Richardson) in September 2013.
It is not known if the Bears or the Broncos have made an offer. Two teams are believed to have done so, and given the Dolphins’ connections since the Colts let their disgruntled back seek a trade, it would surprise if Miami was not one of the teams to have submitted a proposal. The Colts and Dolphins have held ongoing discussions. The Broncos and Bears each made moves at running back this offseason, though Taylor would obviously surge to the top of either team’s depth chart.
Chicago signed D’Onta Foreman to a one-year, $2MM deal and used a fourth-round pick on Texas’ Roschon Johnson. But previous David Montgomery backup Khalil Herbert is positioned as the committee leader as we near the regular season. A Taylor addition would crowd this backfield, though the Bears do have a connection. Matt Eberflus was the Colts’ DC during Taylor’s first two seasons. This would be a fascinating partnership, Taylor teaming with Justin Fields, due to the Bears having led the NFL in rushing last season.
The Broncos were also in on Dalvin Cook, though they were not believed to have been a serious suitor. That makes it worth wondering if the team is seriously interested in Taylor. Unlike the Bears, the Broncos have a franchise-QB contract on their books. Russell Wilson‘s cap number spikes from $22MM this year to $35.4MM in 2024. Restructuring the deal would be an option for Denver, but the team has seen starter Javonte Williams make a quick recovery from ACL and LCL tears. Going down in Week 4 of last season, Williams returned for training camp and made his preseason debut last week. The Broncos also gave Samaje Perine a two-year, $7.5MM deal; the ex-Bengal backup is expected to see frequent work alongside Williams.
As for the Dolphins’ lingering interest, Jackson adds Taylor has a home in South Florida and would be fine with a deal that sends him to the AFC East club. The Dolphins are not the only team Taylor would be OK with joining, however. “Several” teams would appeal to Taylor, whose trade request became public nearly a month ago. After some Jim Irsay comments did not go over well, the fourth-year back is believed to be dug in as he attempts to leave Indianapolis.
It will be interesting to see if Taylor insists on having a new contract in place or whether he would be amenable to playing out his rookie deal elsewhere. Taylor, 24, is believed to be seeking an upper-echelon RB contract, doing so in a year that has not seen one handed out. Other teams have shown hesitancy to grant that wish, likely affecting the trade offers being sent. Taylor not insisting on a new deal would also give another team the option of placing a low-cost franchise tag on him in 2024. With that representing one of Taylor’s issues with the Colts — who are not planning to extend him this year — it would surprise if the 2021 rushing champion would be fine if his next team had no immediate extension plans.
The Colts have a seemingly good situation as far as a Taylor payment would go, holding Anthony Richardson on a rookie contract that runs through 2026. This situation has progressed to the point Indianapolis is giving the former second-rounder until Tuesday — when the team must set its final roster, which will include a decision regarding Taylor’s PUP status — to bring back an acceptable trade offer.
Ryan Poles wouldn’t spend 6 million on David Montgomery. Why would he trades picks and spend 12 million plus a year on a new contract for a RB? This isn’t a Ryan Poles kinda move
David Montgomery never led the league in rushing.
And he never had the O-line Taylor did. But that doesn’t matter. Poles needs a solid guard/center more than he needs another RB. Jenkins is out already (poles didn’t see that coming??). Whitehair, who is a much better center is back at guard because Patrick bombed at guard last season. Their new 30 million dollar RG has barely sniffed the field.. No.. Another RB is the last thing Poles needs.
If that were the case, how’d did the Colts do running the football last year after Taylor got hurt?
This is just leaked garbage to drum up a market. Ballard continues to be a mediocre GM.
Chris Ballard is a very good GM. The Colts led the league with 7 players at the pro bowl game just 2 years ago to prove that. Of course no GM is going to succeed when an idiot owner is constantly undermining him and trying to micro-manage the team.
Are you really comparing Montgomery and Taylor? They’re like in two different categories of back. Also, Montgomery is older with more tread on the tire, which is probably the same reason most backed up on Dalvin Cook.
Not comparing the 2. Just stating Poles doesn’t value the RB position like that. That’s why he let Monty walk, signed foreman for 2 mil, and drafted Roschon Johnson in the 4th. He also really values draft picks.
Sucks for him. Can you imagine trying to get out of a Shatshow organization like the Colts only to be traded to equally terrible franchises in the Broncos and Bears? On top of that he isn’t getting paid.. seems like the only break he can catch is an ankle… amirite..?
The Broncos just lost one of their biggest weapons. I could see Denver trading for JT now that Jerry Jeudy is going to miss time. Javonte Williams is excellent when healthy but he is coming off significant injuries.
The Broncos need to be looking for receivers, not running backs.
The Broncos organization did use a WR as a QB. And the coach loves using a RB as a QB. Transitive property says it’s in play.
Only way this would work is a team would have to be assured to sign him for around that $10M mark. The Bears aren’t going to move on from the additional 1st rounders as that is protection if Fields doesn’t improve. The only way I see them making a move would be to give up their 2nd round picks in 2024/2025 and a Donte Foreman or Kyler Gordon since would would expect those 2nd rounders to be somewhere around pick 50 or later those two years and you have Carolina’s 2nd in 2025.
Picks 50 or later? So you’re expecting the team with the worst record in football and using the same quarterback will be making a deep run in the playoffs?
Claypool and a 3rd?
The Broncos are far from being a terrible franchise.
Theo – 1st of all; Claypool sucks. He wouldn’t even start on the Colts. Secondly, it will take at least a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th. You’re way off.
Buccs, Chris Godwin and a 5th round pick
They need a work horse running back to carry that offence which JT can do and then called upon Baker and Mike Evans should be able to do enough. That defence is still really good.
Colts could also do with a WR1 like Godwin, to go alongside MPJ and give Richardson good passing options. Richardson will do a lot of the ball carrying so in replacing JT you could easily lean on Drake and Moss more or grab a free agent such as Kareem Hunt or Leonard Fournette
Obviously quite a big theme of this JT unrest comes from the drafting in Richardson who can run the ball. Many of y’all think he’s the second coming of Cam Newton but will also quickly turn around and hate in him once he gets exposed for a guy that can’t throw the ball.
Even in preseason dude looked awful trying to throw