Jonathan Taylor may not finish the 2026 season as a Colt. That’s the latest word from multiple NFL sources, and it’s putting the Indianapolis Colts in a bind they didn’t expect.
The 27-year-old All-Pro running back is under contract for another year at $42 million total. The Colts have him on the books. What they may not have is his commitment. Reports indicate Taylor could push for a trade at some point during the season if the Colts start slowly.
Why Taylor Wants Out
Taylor’s tension with the Colts front office is not new. He wanted out during the 2023 season and eventually landed a contract extension that included a $19 million signing bonus. That extension bought a couple of years of peace.
Now, with the Colts stuck in a rebuild-adjacent limbo and Anthony Richardson still finding his footing at quarterback, Taylor is frustrated. He’s in the prime of his career and playing for a team that may not compete for a playoff spot.
Elite running backs have short prime windows. Taylor knows this. Every year with a team going nowhere is a year off his career at a position that ages fast.
Who Wants Taylor
Multiple teams have shown interest. The obvious targets are Super Bowl contenders that need a real running game. The Ravens, Chiefs, Eagles, and Buccaneers all have been floated as potential landing spots.
Baltimore might be the most interesting fit. Derrick Henry is aging. Lamar Jackson’s read-option game would benefit from a fresh Taylor. The Ravens have made bold moves before, and adding Taylor would give them a physical, dynamic backfield to complement Lamar.
Kansas City always finds a way to add pieces. Andy Reid loves a workhorse running back. Taylor would be an upgrade over Isiah Pacheco.
The Colts’ Position
Chris Ballard has to make a call. Trade Taylor now for real assets. Or hold him and hope he stays engaged. The safest bet is to trade him now while his value is high.
Indianapolis is not a Super Bowl contender. The offense needs work. The defense has holes. Anthony Richardson has to prove he’s the answer. Trading Taylor for draft picks and a young player accelerates the rebuild.
The Colts also have to consider what happens if Taylor forces the issue. A public trade demand mid-season damages team morale. It also drops Taylor’s trade value fast.
Where This Goes
Watch the first few weeks of the season. If the Colts start 1-4, Taylor’s frustration goes public. If they start 3-2 or better, he stays quiet. Football is a bounce-back sport, and one hot streak can change everything.
But the Colts have not been that team in a while. The pattern is stumble early, chase the AFC South mid-season, fall short. If that pattern repeats, Taylor is on the move.
The Bigger Running Back Question
The NFL has been undervaluing running backs for years. Elite backs like Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Chubb have to fight for market-value contracts. Meanwhile, defenses can’t stop dominant running games when they hit.
Taylor is one of the last true franchise running backs. He can carry an offense for a full game. He can average five yards a carry. He can score from anywhere on the field. Teams should be lining up for him.
The Colts have to decide whether they value what Taylor brings enough to fight to keep him engaged, or whether they’d rather cash in his trade value and let another team pay for the finished season.
Ballard has run this offense for years. He knows Taylor’s value. Now he has to decide whether the price of keeping him is higher than the return for trading him.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
