The Indianapolis Colts began a full-scale rebuild after general manager Chris Ballard's firing, trading Quenton Nelson, DeForest Buckner and Josh Downs before Tuesday's deadline. Jonathan Taylor, meanwhile, is sticking around for whatever comes next.
Trade buzz surrounding Taylor reached a fever pitch in the days leading into the deadline. The All-Pro even addressed the rumors directly in what sounded like a farewell to Indy after Sunday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
“I’m very grateful, so if it is (my last game as a Colt), I’m very grateful for the city of Indianapolis," Taylor said. "I just hope (the fans) appreciate and know that I appreciate them, and it was a pleasure to put on display not only my hard work, but the team’s hard work each
and every single week and each and every single year.”
Taylor can keep expressing his gratitude on the field for Indy.
Why didn't the Colts trade Jonathan Taylor?
The Indianapolis front office and ownership haven't spoken publicly yet about why they kept Taylor, but his presence is valuable to the Colts both on and off the field. Taylor is a franchise icon who'll help sell tickets amid what projects to be a painful rebuild. And if Indy finds a young quarterback to invest its future in, a strong running game led by Taylor could help ease him into the NFL.
Still, Taylor is 27 at a position that ages like milk, and a second-round pick would likely have been more beneficial to the roster's longterm health. Perhaps if the New York Jets didn't own their 2027 first-round pick via the Sauce Gardner trade, the deadline would've gone differently for Indy.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why didn't Colts trade Jonathan Taylor?
