Colts Don’t Move Jonathan Taylor At NFL Trade Deadline

The Indianapolis Colts made a lot of moves before the 2026 NFL trade deadline, but one of them wasn’t dealing superstar running back Jonathan Taylor. Since firing general manager of 10 years Chris Ballard on Oct. 19 – and promoting assistant general manager Ed Dodds to general manager on an interim basis – the Colts, who are 2-7, have been rampant sellers. In the ensuing weeks following Ballard’s dismissal, the Colts traded guard and eight-time Pro Bowler Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks, wide receiver Josh Downs to the Kansas City Chiefs and both defensive tackle and three-time Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner and wide receiver Keenan Allen to the San Francisco 49ers. Naturally, Taylor became the center of endless trade rumors and speculation, but Indianapolis held firm and didn’t move the three-time Pro Bowler. For Nelson, Indianapolis attained a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder from Seattle. As for Downs, Indianapolis moved the wide receiver and a seventh-round pick to Kansas City for a fourth and fifth-round pick. Meanwhile, the Colts received a 2027 fourth-rounder from the 49ers for Buckner – reuniting the star defensive tackle with the team with whom he spent the first four years of his NFL career from 2016-19 – and a sixth-rounder from San Francisco for the 34-year-old Allen, who’s a six-time Pro Bowler. Elsewhere, Indianapolis also didn’t trade quarterback Daniel Jones, who the Colts signed to a two-year, $88 million deal in the offseason. Through the Colts’ first eight games, Taylor has rushed for 656 yards and eight touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry, while totaling 26 receptions for 220 yards. Amazingly, though, Taylor, a 2021 All-Pro, hasn’t rushed for 100 yards in a game this season and has recorded just 21 carries over the Colts’ last two games. Taylor has spent the first six-plus seasons of his NFL career with the Colts, who selected him with the No. 41 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin. He has led the NFL in rushing touchdowns twice (2021 and 2025) and led the sport with 1,811 rushing yards in 2021.