Running back Jonathan Taylor has requested a trade away from the Indianapolis Colts, but that doesn't mean they are obliged to grant his wish. Team owner Jim Irsay said as much after news of the trade request surfaced on Saturday.
Irsay shared the Colts' firm stance that they are not going to trade Taylor, whether it's this offseason or before the October trade deadline. The 24-year-old RB is entering the final year of his rookie contract and certainly deserves an extension, but clearly, he and Indianapolis are far off in talks for a new deal.
“We're not trading Jonathan… end of discussion. Not now and not in October!” Irsay said in a text message to Albert Breer of The MMQB.
It will certainly be interesting to see how Jonathan Taylor's situation with the Colts will play out after Jim Irsay's comments. The star running back has been placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list at the start of training camp as he continues his recovery from the ankle surgery he underwent back in January.
Considering his trade desire, though, it's possible that Taylor could hold out from reporting to the team until he gets traded or his contract is sorted out.
As NFL fans know, the running back position is in a sad state right now as its value has taken a nosedive. New York Giants star Saquon Barkley and Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs both received the franchise tag but were unable to reach a new deal with their respective teams as their values continue to be underappreciated. While Barkley was able to rework his contract with New York, the fact remains that RBs aren't as valued today as they were before.
Hopefully both sides can work something out. If the Colts want to keep Taylor, they need to get a deal done to keep him happy. If not, he might just really force his way out.
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