INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jonathan Taylor is content playing for the Indianapolis Colts, even this version of the team.
That's why he hasn't requested a trade and why he's trying to tune out all the speculation and rumors suggesting he could be the next Indy player dealt.
Instead, the three-time Pro Bowl running back spent Thursday reflecting on the two high-profile moves that sent two longtime friends to NFC West teams and passionately explained why the Colts
must avoid the distractions and focus solely on football.
“I'm always proud to wear the horseshoe,” he said. “No one is going out there, waving the white flag of surrender. We're going out there to compete. We're going out there to get a ‘W.’ And every time you go on the field, you want to dominate and show you're the best. So that's what we're going to do. It's part of my job, especially after losing two captains."
Taylor is so convinced Indy (2-5) can win now, he even questioned whether the franchise was embarking on a rebuild after last week's firing of general manager Chris Ballard and Tuesday's trades of perennial Pro Bowlers Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner.
The Colts received a 2027 third-round draft pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder from Seattle for Nelson, a three-time All-Pro left guard. They got a 2027 fourth-rounder from San Francisco for Buckner. But the 30-year-old Nelson and the 32-year-old Buckner are both on expiring contracts.
Taylor is not. In August, he signed a two-year, $44 million contract extension that runs through 2028. He's also just 27 years old, and the 2021 NFL rushing champ has shown no sign of slowing down.
The former Wisconsin Badgers star led the league with 18 touchdown runs last season and shares the league lead with eight this season entering Week 8.
He also led the league in rushing last season until quarterback Daniel Jones suffered two injuries and the Colts brought Philip Rivers out of retirement before finishing the season with Riley Leonard behind center. Taylor still finished third, 36 yards behind James Cook and 10 behind Derrick Henry. This season, he's fifth in the league with 587 yards entering Week 8.
Taylor could command a high price, but he would rather stay with the team that drafted him in 2020.
Indy, meanwhile, is adding draft capital in part because it doesn't own a first-round pick in 2027 because it went to the New York Jets in last year's deal for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner.
But with a Sunday trip to AFC South-leading Jacksonville (4-2) looming, Taylor is trying to keep everyone focused on the game.
“The fans need something to look at, the fans need something to say ‘Hey, they’re trying,'” Taylor said. “We're out here, we're trying to compete and we're trying to win."
Still, Taylor acknowledged the absence of Nelson and Buckner will be felt in the locker room and on the field.
The Colts expect rookie Jalen Farmer to handle Nelson's left guard spot even though he's only played just three offensive snaps this season. They expect fourth-year defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore to get more playing time in Buckner's old spot.
But Taylor wasn't the only one lamenting the loss of two longtime franchise cornerstones.
“Nobody's going to replace Quenton Nelson,” offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. said. “You tell me who in the league is going to replace Quenton Nelson, man for man? It ain't happening. So he (Farmer) is not replacing Quenton. This is an opportunity for him to begin his journey and those are two independent journeys."
But as turbulent as the past two weeks have been, the Colts may not be finished making changes.
Versatile receiver Josh Downs also has requested a trade, a person with knowledge of the request told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person requested anonymity because the Colts typically do not make those requests public.
Taylor, on the other hand, wants to stick around and get the Colts back on a playoff push.
“It was all speculation until stuff started happening. Like Quenton, Buck, those guys are the gold standard of the NFL." he said. “I wish I could have done more because I wanted to win for those guys, we wanted to get it done here with those guys. But, right now, it's going to be about opportunities for the young guys. We're going to need everyone right now to take that next step. Our backs are against the wall, everyone's against us, everyone has something negative to say. So we've got to go down there and get a win.”
___
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
