These five teams make too much sense for Jonathan Taylor.
The Indianapolis Colts are in full-on fire sale mode, which is even more pronounced following their Week 8 loss to the Jaguars. At this point the best move is to just blow everything up to compete in the future, and part of that is the painful move to part ways with All Pro running back Jonathan Taylor.
It’s unclear what the cost would be for a team trying to add Taylor, though Adam Schefter has suggested the Colts are looking for a package similar to the deal the 49ers made in adding Christian McCaffrey in 2022, when they send a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round pick to the Carolina Panthers.
That might seem like a hefty price considering how disposable running backs are often viewed, buy like McCaffrey, Taylor is a legitimate gamechanger who can provide a colossal offensive boost and be worth the price to a contender, or near-contender in need of a boost. These are the six teams that make a lot of sense when it comes to making a move.
Minnesota Vikings
Have you seen the Vikings’ offense lately? This is a team built around the defense, which logically means it’s best supported with a ground game that can burn the clock and control the line of scrimmage — but Minnesota doesn’t have a good enough running game right now to do that.
There’s plenty of logic to the idea that the Vikings should focus on getting a quarterback who can get them over the hump, but that will be considerably more difficult and potentially cost them more in a bidding war over the few remaining capable quarterbacks in the league. It makes a lot more sense to just go all-in on getting Taylor, forming the identity of the team in a reliable way with one of the NFL’s best running backs, then try to sort our quarterback in the offseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are playing great football right now, but are obviously missing one more key piece that can transform them from being a playoff team, and into a true contender. Right now the running game is an easy point of upgrade, with Bayshul Tuten looking very good, but more of a rotational back than a three-down ball carrier the team can lean on.
It would likely be tricky to get the Colts to move off of Taylor to a division rival, which is really the rub here. If Indianapolis removes that roadblock from the equation, it would be a lock move that could truly turn the Jags into one of the favorite teams in the AFC South. Trevor Lawrence is throwing the ball well, the defense is performing — they just miss that chain-mover needed to fuse it all together.
Denver Broncos
We’re going to see the future of Bo Nix litigated through this season as people try to work out whether he’s actually any good. Either way, an upgrade can be a move similar to Minnesota that would support the team’s defense with a really solid back who can help be the missing piece of the Sean Payton offense.
If we look at his past record, even with Drew Brees there was a focal point on the back. J.K. Dobbins is… fine, but there’s nothing spectacular about him that suggests he can become the player the Broncos need when the passing game is struggling. It would be better to change of pace him like the Saints did with Reggie Bush, and use Taylor as the bruiser the team needs.
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle had to make the tough decision in the offseason to part ways with Kenneth Walker to stay under the cap, and it’s definitely a move that has hurt the team. While there’s a lot to love about the Seahawks, the lack of a consistent running game is holding them back — especially when Sam Darnold isn’t as effective as he was a year ago.
We’re seeing this team live and die through the defense, paired with Jaxon Smith-Nijgba’s individual brilliance. That is a house of cards waiting for one element to topple it, and that should be very concerning to Seahawks fans looking for this team to at least make a deep playoff run. Adding Taylor could be that missing piece
New England Patriots
The Patriots have turned the corner in recent weeks and are really starting to look like a team that can compete out of the wild card spot. While it’s unlikely they’ll catch the Bills in the AFC East, they still have a completeness a lot of teams don’t possess.
One of the big missing spots right now is the running game, which is lacking. This team has been known to have a willingness to make big moves on offense in order to try and fix things, with Taylor being precisely the piece this team lacks. It could be a difference-maker New England needs to be another spoiler in the playoffs to make a run all the way.