Colts Want a Ransom for Jonathan Taylor, But a Trade is Still Likely

Jonathan Taylor is officially on the trade block, and while half the league is kicking the tires, the Indianapolis Colts are currently asking for a ransom nobody wants to pay. According to recent reports, the Colts are fielding calls from the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, and Green Bay Packers. The asking price is reportedly sky-high, but insiders still believe a deal is more likely than not to happen.

Asking for a massive haul for a running back in the modern NFL is like trying to sell a used DVD player for the price of a flat-screen TV. Sure, it works great when you plug it in, but the market has completely moved on. General managers simply do not want to give up premium draft capital for a position with a notoriously short shelf life.

"Jordan Schultz reports that while the asking price is too high right now, a trade is leaning to be more likely than not."

To be fair to Indianapolis, Taylor is still producing at a high level when he is actually on the field. He has racked up 587 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 140 carries this season. The problem is that he just missed three games in October with another ankle injury. That is the exact kind of medical red flag that makes front offices hesitate before signing away their future assets.

The most fascinating team on that list of suitors is Minnesota. The Vikings are sitting at a flawless 6-0 and just beat the Colts 16-10 last week. Trading your star running back to the undefeated juggernaut that just handed you a loss is certainly a choice, but if Minnesota wants to go all-in on a Super Bowl run, adding Taylor would make their offense absolutely terrifying.

For anyone watching the futures market, Taylor landing in Cincinnati or Minnesota would instantly shift the playoff math. The Bengals just dropped 35 points on the Baltimore Ravens, and adding a workhorse back to that mix would make them a nightmare in January. Bettors are already keeping a close eye on how these potential landing spots impact division odds.

The Colts play the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday, and every snap Taylor takes is an unnecessary risk to his trade value. If Indianapolis really wants to cash in before the deadline, they are going to have to lower their asking price from a king's ransom to something grounded in actual reality.