The Indianapolis Colts are removing themselves further away from the recently defunct Chris Ballard era after trading top-notch left guard Quenton Nelson and accomplished defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. They are trending toward a third straight losing season and do not presently own a first-round pick for the 2027 NFL Draft, so the chances of them quickly bouncing back seem bleak. Impactful players who are north of 30 do little for this franchise's big-picture outlook.

Star running backs who are approaching their late-20s are a bit trickier to handle, however. Jonathan Taylor is signed through the 2028 campaign, is tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL (eight) and can still ease quarterback Daniel Jones' burden. The Colts' entire offensive identity could change if they deal the former All-Pro, rushing yards leader and two-time NFL rushing TDs leader. Though, what good is continuity if the franchise remains irrelevant?

Indy has much to ponder ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, but its current stance ostensibly revolves around keeping the seventh-year RB.

“Jonathan Taylor, the star running back, is a name that teams I know are calling about. Just have not gotten the indication that the Colts and specifically {co-owner and CEO} Carlie Irsay-Gordon actually want to trade Taylor,” Ian Rapoport of ESPN and NFL Network reported on SportsCenter.

From @SportsCenter: The two trades (so far) today show that the #Colts are open for business. pic.twitter.com/JBA8KmTasf

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 27, 2026

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Rapoport floated wide receiver Josh Downs and DT Grover Stewart as potential players to be moved, but Taylor is apparently still part of the organization's immediate plans. Jones is inconsistent, head coach Shane Steichen is presumably on the hot seat and the offensive line just lost an expected Hall of Famer. The Colts may see Taylor as a valuable safety net during this rebuild/transitional phase.

The three-time Pro Bowler has amassed 765 scrimmage yards through seven games and is still efficient enough, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. He is getting older, though, and his circumstances just took a turn for the worse following Nelson's departure. If Irsay-Gordon can get second-round value for him, she may want to reconsider her opinion on the subject.

Indianapolis still has a couple of weeks to mull it over. In the meanwhile, Taylor will try to push the Colts (2-5) back into the win column. A Sunday afternoon meeting with the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) awaits.