The Indianapolis Colts’ 2026 season has gone far from how they’d hoped, leaving them in a position to potentially sell off their stars for draft picks.
One of those stars has repeatedly come up in fan conversations surrounding the Seattle Seahawks: running back Jonathan Taylor. However, it appears that it might not all be speculation, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that the Seahawks are one of four teams that have “pondered, or are expected to consider, the possibility of a trade for the star running back.”
If they want the 27-year-old running back, the Seahawks would be competing with the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos, according to Schefter’s report.
Aside from the vague language there, a trade for Taylor makes sense on its face for the Seahawks. Taylor has been a premier back in the NFL since joining the Colts in 2020, is a three-time Pro Bowler and is coming off a season where he ran for 1,585 rushing yards and scored 18 touchdowns.
With rookie Jadarian Price on IR and Zach Charbonnet out, there’s certainly hunger in Seattle to get their running game back on track. Seattle has spent most of their season rocking with Emmanuel Wilson and George Holani, who have struggled to generate a consistent, quality rushing offense.
The issues with trading for Taylor emerge when looking at the value needed to acquire him and the contract extension that Taylor signed in the offseason. Taylor is owed $7 million in base salary in 2026, which balloons to $16 million in 2027 and then $18 million in 2028.
For a franchise that, under general manager John Schneider, has not paid many running backs, that could be a tough sell.
Notably, in Schefter’s report, the Seahawks are not explicitly tied to Colts All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson. All the NFL insider mentions in his article are that the 30-year-old offensive lineman could be on the market, with several “playoff-worthy” teams interested.
The trade deadline sits on Nov. 10, so the Seahawks will have more time to ponder as they look to battle past a 3-3 start and continue their reign over the league.
