NFL Trade Rumors: Dolphins turning attention to Colts' wantaway star Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor's situation with the Indianapolis Colts has gone south in the recent couple of months, with the running back asking for a new contract and entering a public spat with owner Jim Irsay on Twitter, leading to a disappointing situation for all sides. This week, the Colts publicly made Taylor available for a trade.
One of the teams that could be trading for Jonathan Taylor is the Miami Dolphins, who missed out on Dalvin Cook after he signed with the New York Jets. The Dolphins are loading up to be a contender in the AFC, and a star running back would make a huge difference for the team.
According to Colts beat writer Destin Adams, the Dolphins already made an offer to acquire Taylor alongside another unnamed team. Miami knows he could be a great asset for Mike McDaniel:
Jonathan Taylor vs. Colts: What is happening with the running back's contract?
Recent episodes involving Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard have made it more than clear that if you're a running back in the modern NFL, your contract situation is unlikely to improve until 2030 with the new CBA. The market doesn't have feelings, and fighting against it is pointless. Jonathan Taylor wants a new deal, but the Indianapolis Colts are seemingly not going to give him one.
Indianapolis doesn't really want to trade the player, because it knows he's its offensive base for 2023. The team has a rookie coach in Shane Steichen, and a rookie quarterback in Anthony Richardson. Having a quality player who provides security with the ball is excellent, and that's what Taylor provides.
He should probably play this year and hit the market - and if he plays well, the Colts have the franchise tag option for 2024. But whatever his performance is, a contract extension possibly won't arrive in Indianapolis. If a trade to the Miami Dolphins happens, don't expect an extension as well.
The franchise has allowed him to test the market because they know he's not going to be in demand for many teams - especially because it was made clear by all 32 franchises that running backs aren't valuable for them anymore.