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Colts Likely To Resume Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks; Packers No Longer Involved

September 10th, 2023 at 11:13pm CST by Rory Parks

The Colts had reportedly set August 29 — the day when teams were required to finalize their 53-man rosters — as the deadline to trade running back Jonathan Taylor. It was clear, however, that roster cutdown day was merely a “loose” deadline that was set in the hopes of expeditiously resolving a difficult situation for a maximum return.

Unsurprisingly, trade talks involving Taylor are likely to resume, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Taylor is presently on the PUP list and is therefore required to miss the first four games of the season, but sources tell Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Taylor is healthy and could pass a physical today if he were required to do so. As such, the contract-year back plans to be ready to play as soon as Week 5, when he is first eligible to take the field.

According to Rapoport, there remains a possibility that Taylor will again suit up for the Colts, but the odds of that happening are slim. After all, the rift between player and team formed when Indianapolis refused Taylor’s request for an extension this offseason, and there is nothing to indicate that the club’s stance in that regard will change.

Instead, it seems more plausible that Taylor will be traded. In order for that to happen, the Colts may need to reduce their asking price, which was reportedly either a first-round pick or a package similar to what the 49ers paid for Christian McCaffrey last year. During their trade talks with the Dolphins, Indy is believed to have asked about Miami wideout Jaylen Waddle, and Schefter notes that the team targeted promising second-year receiver Christian Watson in its conversations with the Packers (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder).

Rapoport writes that Green Bay offered two mid-round picks in exchange for Taylor — for whom it was willing to authorize a top-of-the-market contract — though he says the club is now out of the running. The Dolphins, who were also prepared to pay top dollar for Taylor, remain a viable landing spot. As the first few weeks of the season unfold, of course, it is also quite possible that other clubs will enter the mix.

The Bears and Broncos were rumored as potential suitors at the end of last month. This year’s trade deadline is October 31.

Latest On Colts’ Backfield; Team Worked Out James Robinson

September 5th, 2023 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

With Jonathan Taylor sitting on the reserve/PUP list for at least the first four games of the 2023 campaign, the Colts backfield is plenty uncertain heading into Week 1. With Zack Moss also nursing an arm injury, it sounds like even the Colts don’t know who will lead the team in carries to start the season.

[RELATED: Chris Ballard Addresses Jonathan Taylor Situation]

“I think it’s running back-by-committee,” said head coach Shane Steichen (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “Whoever’s got the hot hand, let ‘em ride a little bit.”

Deon Jackson and Evan Hull are set to be the team’s two healthy RBs on Sunday against the Jaguars. Jackson has experience on his side, garnering 111 touches over the past two seasons (including 98 last season). However, the Duke product has averaged only 3.3 yards on his 81 career rushing attempts, and he’s proven to be much more productive in the passing game (including a 30-catch campaign in 2022).

Hull also projects to be more of a receiving back, but the 2023 fifth-round pick was a productive runner in college. Along with his 94 receptions (including 55 this past season), the Northwestern product collecting 2,417 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 488 carries.

As Steichen notes, Moss would be the clear RB1 if he was healthy. The former Bills draft pick had 334 yards on 69 carries in four games down the stretch while filling in for Taylor. He’s been sidelined throughout training camp and the preseason while recovering from a broken arm, and he finally returned to practice earlier this week. However, Moss isn’t expected to see a significant role as he makes up for lost time.

Considering the uncertainty on the depth chart, the front office is apparently considering options from outside the organization. Free agent running back James Robinson worked out for the Colts yesterday, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Robinson has had a busy offseason. He inked a two-year deal with the Patriots back in March but was released a few months later. He later caught on with the Giants and spent the preseason with the club before getting cut. The 25-year-old split the 2022 season between the Jaguars and Jets, collecting 476 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns.

Teams are clearly still counting on the production Robinson showed during his rookie campaign. The former UDFA finished the 2020 season with 1,414 yards and 10 touchdowns. He suffered a torn Achilles at the end of the 2021 season that ended up costing him a chunk of the following campaign.

Colts GM Chris Ballard Addresses Jonathan Taylor Situation

September 2nd, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

With roster cutdown day having come and gone, Jonathan Taylor remains with the Colts for at least the time being. As a result, the 2021 rushing champion and the team still have time to find a way to continue their relationship, something general manager Chris Ballard recently spoke about.

Indianapolis granted Taylor permission to seek out a trade partner, and a number of teams showed interest in a trade which would, presumably, be conditional on a big-money extension being agreed to. The Dolphins and Packers are among the teams who reports have indicated would be prepared to give Taylor a deal placing him high in the RB pecking order. The Colts have not been willing to make such a commitment at this point, leading in large part to the current stalemate between player and team.

The 24-year-old will start the season on the PUP list, meaning he will be sidelined for at least the first four weeks of the season. A lingering ankle injury was named by Ballard as the reason for the designation, adding that Taylor will rehab the ailment at the team’s facility. Taylor had spent time away from the organization to recover earlier this offseason. Regarding the extension-eligible back’s contract situation, Ballard admitted he is in an unprecedented situation during his tenure while striking an optimistic tone.

“It’s where we’re at, and we’re got to work through it, and we’re going to do everything we can to work through it,” he said, via NFL.com’s Nick Schook. “Relationships are repairable. They’re repairable. When guys get emotional and take a stance, you’ve got to be able to work through those. We’ve got work to do. We got work to do on the relationship. We got work to do to find a solution to the problem and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

It remains to be seen if said solution will see Taylor play out the final year of his rookie contract in Indianapolis, or if a trade sending him elsewhere is still in the cards. A drop in asking price – a first-round pick or a similarly-valued collection of draft capital – will likely be required for the Colts to be satisfied by an offer in time for the trade deadline. In the meantime, interest will no doubt still remain around the league as Ballard and Co. set about trying to salvage the situation with their top offensive player.

With Taylor not in the picture to start the campaign, the Colts will have to move forward with Deon Jackson atop the depth chart. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports the former UDFA will handle starting duties in Indianapolis’ season opener against the Jaguars. Jackson saw 68 carries last year, during part of which Taylor was sidelined with the ankle injury. An uptick in usage will be in order for Jackson in at least the short term.

2022 trade acquisition Zack Moss is making progress in his recovery from a broken arm, Wilson adds. Moss suffered the injury at the end of July, and his Week 1 availability was put in doubt as a result. Wilson reports that the former Bills third-rounder is expected to miss the first two or three games of the season. His return after that missed time will be welcomed given Taylor’s absence, but it will be interesting to see how much progress will have been made regarding the latter by that point.

Dolphins GM: WR Jaylen Waddle Not Available; Team Content With RB Room

September 2nd, 2023 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Packers entered the fray for Jonathan Taylor, the Dolphins loomed as the most aggressive suitor. In on just about every available or potentially available running back this year, the Dolphins were connected to Taylor interest within minutes of the Colts greenlighting trade talks.

For now, Taylor remains on the Colts, set to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list. But the trade deadline is nearly two months away (October 31). That gives the Dolphins more time. One player the Colts asked about will almost certainly not be on the table if/when the sides huddle up on talks again. GM Chris Grier laughed upon indicating (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) Jaylen Waddle would not be available in a trade, “no matter who they’re calling about.”

The Colts are believed to have asked about Waddle during Taylor talks that included a back-and-forth featuring players and picks. Despite the Dolphins being tied to Taylor for nearly two weeks now, Grier said no offers emerged from either side. A recent report indicated at least two teams made offers, and it is a bit difficult to imagine the Dolphins were not one of those. But Grier said the Dolphins “feel good about their running back room,” per Louis-Jacques.

Miami has been connected to inquiring on Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, D’Andre Swift and Dalvin Cook over the past five-plus months. The team pursued Cook in both a trade, coming close to a deal with the Vikings, and in free agency. But the Jets landed the Miami native on a one-year, $7MM deal. The Dolphins then cut Myles Gaskin, whom they re-signed this offseason, and placed Jeff Wilson on IR. This leaves Raheem Mostert, Salvon Ahmed, third-rounder Devon Achane and rookie UDFA Chris Brooks as Miami’s available RBs. Achane is also nursing a shoulder injury.

While Mike McDaniel said he would not be surprised if Wilson returns this season, the running back’s agent — Drew Rosenhaus — said (via WSVN’s Josh Moser) his client is dealing with rib and pinkie finger injuries and should not be sidelined for long after the mandatory four-game absence requirement ends. Acquired just before last year’s trade deadline and re-signing with the Dolphins this offseason, Wilson also missed the start of the 2021 season due to a summer foot injury.

On Waddle, it is unsurprising the Dolphins would scoff at including him in a deal for Taylor. The former No. 6 overall pick is one of the NFL’s best young wide receivers. While he is the No. 2 target on the Dolphins behind Tyreek Hill, the Alabama alum zoomed to a 1,356-yard, eight-touchdown season and led the NFL in yards per reception (18.1). Waddle can be kept on his rookie deal through 2025, once the Dolphins exercise his fifth-year option by May 2024.

Waddle being included in the talks for Taylor, during a period in which wideout value has soared well past that of running backs, makes it worth wondering how serious the Colts are about dealing the 2021 rushing champion. Immediately after Taylor’s trade request became public, Jim Irsay shot down the notion the disgruntled back would be moved. Rumblings about some among the Colts warming up to the idea surfaced, but this situation is on pause for the foreseeable future.

Dolphins, Packers Willing To Pay Jonathan Taylor Among Highest-Paid RBs

August 31st, 2023 at 10:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Jonathan Taylor‘s relationship with the Colts has deteriorated to the point of no return. While owner Jim Irsay’s comments about the state of the running back market seemed to be the final straw, Taylor’s frustrations with the organization first popped up when the front office refused his extension request this offseason.

[RELATED: Packers Engaged In Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks With Colts]

While Indy was unwilling to negotiate Taylor’s next contract, it sounds like two trade suitors were willing to pay up for the running back’s services. Per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, both the Dolphins and Packers were willing to give Taylor a contract that would place him “among the highest-paid running backs in the NFL.”

As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com points out, the only RB making serious money is Christian McCaffrey at $16MM per year, and the likes of Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, and Alvin Kamara (when accounting for his phony final year) are all earning around $12.5MM. Without knowing the specific structure of the deal, Florio opines that it’d be difficult to truly know where a Taylor extension would land at the position.

Taylor is set to earn $4.3MM in base salary this season, so he’ll undoubtedly see a raise on a new deal. It’s uncertain if Taylor would even insist on a new contract following a trade, but he can probably rest easier knowing that some suitors are willing to bump his pay.

As we noted recently, the Packers invested in the position a few years ago when they signed Aaron Jones to a four-year, $48MM extension. However, the team can easily get out of that contract (with a $6MM dent in dead cap). With fellow RB AJ Dillon set to hit free agency following the 2023 campaign, the Packers could be considering a completely new-look backfield for 2024.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins will have a number of tough decisions to make from a financial standpoint in the near future, so locking in Taylor could ruffle some feathers. Yesterday, general manager Chris Grier told reporters that the Dolphins are tabling extension talks with Tua Tagovailoa and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins until after the season.

Packers Engaged In Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks With Colts

August 30th, 2023 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Set to run back their Aaron Jones–AJ Dillon tandem for a fourth season, the Packers have their 2023 backfield in place. But questions exist regarding Green Bay’s running back group beyond this year.

On that note, the Packers look to be one of the teams interested in Jonathan Taylor. They talked Taylor with the Colts before the AFC South team’s Tuesday deadline, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports. While as many as six teams were said to have expressed interest in Taylor, Holder notes the Packers joined the Dolphins in discussing the disgruntled All-Pro with the Colts.

The Packers component in these talks figures to remain relevant, as the Colts have until the Oct. 31 trade deadline to move Taylor. The former rushing champion remains on Indianapolis’ PUP list, with his reserve/PUP designation mandating he miss the season’s first four games. Taylor can return to practice after Week 2, however, which would open the door to trade talks picking back up in the near future.

Jones and the Packers huddled up on a reworked contract in February, a move that marked the first major transaction in a tough offseason for running backs. The deal gave Jones more 2023 guarantees but also came with a $5MM pay slash. The four-year, $48MM deal Jones signed before free agency in 2021 runs through 2024. The Packers could still designate Jones a post-June 1 cut next year, incurring less than $6MM in dead money to do so. Jones’ adjustment still makes a 2024 divorce somewhat prohibitive, but the Packers did just approach a dead-money record by taking on $40MM by trading Aaron Rodgers.

Dillon is going into the final season of his rookie contract. The former second-round pick has indicated he would like to stay in Green Bay, and next year’s free agent class looks set to top this year’s buyer’s market. Dillon is on track to join a number of high-end RBs on next year’s market, barring extensions agreed to before the tampering period. Taylor would represent a preemptive strike for the Packers, who would seemingly need to part ways with both their current backs in 2024 if they were to complete a trade-and-extend scenario involving the Wisconsin alum.

While Taylor is a New Jersey native, he starred at Wisconsin before going to the Colts in the 2020 second round. The Packers will not have Rodgers’ top-market contract on their payroll in 2024, being set to shed the contract off their cap sheet after this season. But the team will also need to make a call on Jordan Love, who signed a half-measure extension (two years, $13.5MM) that prevented the team from having to exercise a fully guaranteed fifth-year option on a player with little experience. Taylor would stand to fit better on a team with a rookie-QB contract, but the Packers have a unique signal-caller salary situation post-Rodgers.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, discussed “several” potential deals with the Colts, Holder adds. None are believed to have involved a first-round pick. Indianapolis asked for a first-rounder or a package of picks matching that value. Taylor still wants to be traded, and Holder adds interest remains. The Dolphins look to have viewed the Colts’ Tuesday deadline as fairly loose, and their extensive interest in running backs this offseason points to a reengagement at some point.

Indy’s asking price will need to come down in order for the Dolphins to bite. The Colts targeted Jaylen Waddle in their Taylor talks, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. The AFC South club wanted the former top-10 wideout draftee and then some, per Jackson, who adds the Dolphins discussed packages involving players and picks. Suffice to say, Miami did not view Indianapolis’ ask as reasonable. The Colts made multiple counterproposals over the span of a week, per Jackson and Holder.

The Dolphins traded up from No. 12 to No. 6 for Waddle, who has become one of the NFL’s best young wideouts. With receivers dwarfing running backs on the salary spectrum, it is understandable the Dolphins did not want to engage on Waddle. The Alabama-developed speedster teamed with Tyreek Hill to form one of the top receiving duos in recent NFL history last season. Waddle posted 1,356 yards (an NFL-high 18.1 per catch) and eight touchdowns in his second season.

The prospect of a team giving up high-level draft assets and authorizing a near-top-market extension for Taylor — in a year in which RB value cratered — has led this situation to its current place. With Taylor eligible to practice in less than a month, the market could heat up again.

Colts’ Jonathan Taylor To Stay On PUP List

August 29th, 2023 at 11:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

No Jonathan Taylor trade took place Tuesday. The Colts had set today as a loose deadline to deal their disgruntled running back, but they have not liked an offer enough to move him.

Not only will Taylor stay in Indianapolis, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the former rushing champion is set to begin the season on the reserve/PUP list. This will sideline Taylor for at least four games. The Colts technically have until the October 31 trade deadline to move Taylor, but they had set today as a temporary endpoint. As a result, this impasse has reached gridlock.

Two teams showed significant interest, but Colts GM Chris Ballard did not view the offers as fair, per Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This saga has lasted for more than a month now, with Taylor making his trade request in late July.

The Colts opened the market last week, allowing Taylor’s camp to find a trade partner. No first-round pick was believed to have been offered. Considering no team has traded a first-rounder for a running back since the Colts sent the Browns one for Trent Richardson 10 years ago, it is certainly not surprising the Colts’ asking price has not been met. Indianapolis has sought a first-rounder or an equivalent package of picks, but in a year in which RB value has tanked, the team is stuck for the time being.

Jim Irsay led the way in alienating Taylor and leading this relationship to this point, sending a much-discussed tweet about the state of the running back market and then not helping matters with more comments on the situation after a one-on-one meeting with the team’s would-be starter. Taylor, 24, had said earlier this year he wanted to retire a Colt. This situation has deteriorated in the months since that remark. Irsay had said the Colts were not trading Taylor, and while the Colts have backtracked on that a bit, the saga will now lead to the team playing four games without the former All-Pro.

Inquiring on just about every high-profile running back potentially available this year, the Dolphins have been in the mix since the Colts gave the green light for teams to send offers. It is safe to assume the Dolphins are one of the two teams to express serious interest; talks with Miami were believed to have taken place over a several-day period. But the Dolphins, as they did with Dalvin Cook, continue to stand down. As of Monday, it sounded like the Dolphins would still look into Taylor after this Colts-imposed deadline.

This certainly is not a good look for the Colts, who will begin Shane Steichen’s tenure with their best skill-position player out of the mix despite probably being healthy. This also will lead to a delay in Taylor’s bounce-back opportunity. Taylor suffered an ankle injury — his first notable malady during his pro or college tenures — last season, costing him six games, but underwent surgery in January. Irsay pronounced Taylor ready to go for camp, and while rumors of the fourth-year back needing more treatment ahead of camp surfaced (before Taylor left camp for reported ankle treatment), this should be considered a hold-in of sorts.

The Colts are not planning to extend Taylor’s contract this year, refusing a request from the running back during the offseason. Other teams’ unwillingness to both trade high-value compensation for Taylor and give him an upper-crust contract has led this drama to a standstill. With the team keeping Taylor on the PUP list, this pause could last a while.

Colts Move Roster To 53

August 29th, 2023 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some higher-profile Colts news has overshadowed their roster construction, but the Jonathan Taylor drama factors into Indianapolis’ roster construction. Here is how the team moved down to 53:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on reserve/suspended list:

While Funk could be a practice squad candidate, Indianapolis’ 53-man roster includes three running backs: Deon Jackson, Zack Moss and fifth-round rookie Evan Hull. Moss is rehabbing a broken arm and looms as a candidate for in-season IR. The Colts released late-summer pickup Kenyan Drake recently. The Taylor move sidelines the disgruntled All-Pro for the first four games.

Smith, Rodgers, Strachan and Winfree moving off the roster leaves only four receivers (Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs and Isaiah McKenzie) on the active. It seems likely another will be added before Week 1. Even with Brown gone, Indy’s 53-man roster houses five tight ends. Jelani Woods, Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, fifth-round rookie Will Mallory and Drew Ogletree, a second-year sixth-rounder, comprise that group. This would seem to be a place the Colts would be willing to cut into, should they be awarded any players on waivers before Wednesday’s 11am CT deadline.

The Colts added Harrison this offseason, signing the former Browns safety after the Browns brought in 2022 Colts cog Rodney McLeod. It should be expected Harrison, who is going into his sixth season, lands somewhere soon. Teams can keep up to six vested veterans on their respective practice squads, leaving the door ajar for Harrison — who only signed with the Colts on Aug. 14 — to stay. The 26-year-old defender has 45 starts on his resume.

Colts, Dolphins Continue Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks

August 28th, 2023 at 7:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

7:09pm: Although this reported deadline looms in less than 24 hours, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes this should be considered a loose deadline. The actual trade deadline is Oct. 31. It would certainly be interesting to see how the Colts play this if they do not unload Taylor by Tuesday afternoon, but Jackson and ESPN’s Adam Schefter note the AFC South team is operating methodically here. The Colts are not believed to be close to a trade.

12:10pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com said on the Pat McAfee Show that he expects a Taylor trade to be consummated (video link). He echoes Holder’s report that there is at least one other team in the mix, though he cannot say for sure what team it is. Meanwhile, Outkick’s Armando Salguero reports (via Jackson) that no team has of yet been willing to offer a first-round pick for Taylor.

10:06am: Plenty of attention is aimed at roster cuts during this time of year, but the Jonathan Taylor situation remains a key talking point as well. The former rushing champion’s status as a member of the Colts is still in doubt ahead of the team-imposed deadline for a trade to be worked out.

Indianapolis granted Taylor permission to seek out a trade partner one week ago, marking the latest point in his fractured relationship with the team which drafted him in 2020. Taylor has long been seeking a fresh start, but the Colts will understandably demand a high price to seriously consider a deal. They are believed to be seeking either a first-round pick or a package similar to what the 49ers paid for Christian McCaffrey last year.

The team most closely connected to a Taylor deal so far has been the Dolphins. Miami and Indianapolis have already engaged in trade talks, and ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes that they continue to do so at this point. This situation could, as he adds, come right down to tomorrow afternoon’s deadline for 53-man rosters to be finalized. The Dolphins are not alone in their pursuit of the 24-year-old, however.

Holder notes that a second team is in trade talks on Taylor, which could certainly boost the Colts’ chances of seeing their asking price met. Multiple teams have long been thought to be willing to at least entertain trade negotiations, including the Bears and Broncos. It remains to be seen if those clubs have submitted an offer, but it comes as little surprise that the Dolphins appear to be a serious suitor.

Miami has been connected to numerous high-profile backs this offseason, including, most notably, Dalvin Cook. The Dolphins were close to working out a trade which would have sent the ex-Viking to his hometown team, but he instead wound up signing with the Jets. Like Cook, Taylor would comfortably move to the top of the team’s RB depth chart if acquired; they currently roster returnees Jeff Wilson, Raheem Mostert, Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed, along with third-round rookie Devon Achane.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins have already proposed multiple trade packages with the Colts on a potential Taylor deal. None of them have produced an agreement as of yet, perhaps due to the upside on Indianapolis’ part of stoking a bidding war between multiple interested parties. In any event, this storyline will remain one to watch closely over at least the next several hours.

Bears, Broncos In On Jonathan Taylor?

August 24th, 2023 at 6:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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