Trading Jonathan Taylor has never been an easy pill for Colts fans to swallow, but it is a necessary pain to sustain long-term success. Since the Colts started to sell off certain pieces, including Offensive lineman Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, the message has become increasingly clear. No one is off the table for trade talks.
While names like Josh Downs and Grover Stewart are other likely trade candidates for the Colts, Taylor remains the most notable. The premier running back is believed to be the piece that will push Super Bowl-hopeful teams over the edge. Providing a new reliability to teams that were formerly pass-heavy offenses.
With that being said, Carlie Irsay-Gordon has not held back from being stingy with their asking price for Taylor. The Colts are believed to have turned down multiple trade offers, including a second-round pick, maintaining their first-round pick expectations. Though the time to trade Taylor is now, Irsay must keep that in mind as the trade deadline approaches next week.
Why The Colts Should Trade Jonathan Taylor
Having building blocks for a rebuilding team is vital to its long-term trajectory, but is a running back one of those building blocks? Short answer: no. While Taylor has elite capabilities, only a limited number of players at the same position have them; that alone isn’t enough to ensure immediate impact. That will inevitably fall upon the Colts’ new hires at the general manager and head coach positions.
The best way to ensure that the next regime that takes over is able to sustain consistent strides is through draft picks. While simple, that statement proved to be true in small doses for Chris Ballard when he was still on the team’s staff.
“The more picks you have, the better chances you get to take shots at the board. This is not an exact science, and you need a little luck.” Ballard said.
This statement will prove to be the Colts’ exact mentality heading into the next era of the team. No powerhouse team was rushed to get to that point. Irsay and company taking their time building the team that represents the horseshoe in the future is in the organization’s and fans’ best interest.
Giving Jonathan Taylor The Best Chance To Win
One ideal that Colts fans and, seemingly, the organization alike are aligned on is the initiative to ensure Taylor gets a chance to compete on a winning team. Throughout Taylor’s career, it was clear from the beginning that he deserved to play for a championship and/or ring.
While it might be hard to admit that the championship will not come from the Colts. Knowing that Taylor will at least get a chance to win one should enlighten fans of Indianapolis’ finest. As a person, Taylor has come to deserve to reach the goal any player that comes into the league wants.
Taylor himself has admitted the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of this time, providing a vague answer when asked if he had requested a trade, saying:
“At this point, the hay is in the barn now. We’re preparing for the Cowboys. We got a home game. After last week, nothing else matters. We just gotta give these fans a win.”
The star running back will always be a professional, but he has seemingly revealed the emotional yet deflating truth behind the business side of the NFL. It showcases just how attached players feel once such a major part of their lives has been spent in dedication to the team. Because of this, making a hard decision to better the team despite the subject player’s feelings becomes increasingly difficult.
End Of My Jonathan Taylor Rant
Taylor had made it known leading up to the start of the Colts’ season that he wished to be in Indianapolis for life. Obviously, with this current NFL season not panning out how the Colts wanted, Taylor’s wish will likely not be granted. Sitting at 2-6 and third in the AFC South, the entirety of the established players on Indianapolis’ roster are up for grabs.
That sad reality bestows on fans a painful season ahead, but a bright future. Hoping for, and therefore giving Indianapolis the capability to rebuild properly, will only benefit the livelihood of the Colts team. Unfortunately, that comes at the expense of one of, if not the greatest, Colts running backs the city could ever see.
