The Colts Are Having a Fire Sale, and Jonathan Taylor Is the Grand Prize
The Indianapolis Colts have acquired three future draft picks and are reportedly shopping star running back Jonathan Taylor and receiver Josh Downs ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
HotTakes Editorial TeamUpdated 2 min read
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The Indianapolis Colts have officially entered the "everything must go" phase of their season. According to Adam Schefter, Indianapolis has already stockpiled three future draft picks today, securing a 2027 third-rounder, a 2027 fourth-rounder, and a 2028 fifth-rounder. But the real story is not the mid-round hoarding. It is the fact that running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Josh Downs are now officially on the trade block.
Trading away your franchise running back is the kind of move that signals a full teardown, the NFL equivalent of selling the copper wiring out of your own walls. The Colts are currently operating without a 2027 first-round pick, and new personnel boss Ed Dodds is clearly trying to restock the cupboards after the front office ousted Chris Ballard.
"Adam Schefter reported the Colts have added three draft picks and named Taylor and Downs as potential targets."
Taylor is not a rental. He is under team control through 2028, meaning any team trading for him is making a long-term investment rather than a desperate half-season push. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon reportedly loves Taylor, which means prying him out of Indianapolis is going to require premium draft capital, likely starting with a second-round pick.
The market is already heating up. The New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings are reportedly circling, with the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos also keeping tabs. The Vikings just handed the Colts a 16-10 loss, and adding a weapon like Taylor to an already competitive NFC playoff race would shift the betting markets overnight.
It is not just the skill guys packing their bags. Veterans like DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson are also generating calls from rival executives. When you start taking offers for a perennial All-Pro guard and your best defensive tackle, you are not retooling. You are hitting the reset button with a sledgehammer.
The NFL trade deadline is about to turn Indianapolis into the league's busiest swap meet. If Dodds actually pulls the trigger on a Taylor deal, the Colts will officially wave the white flag on the current era. Keep an eye on those NFC contenders, because someone is about to overpay for a star running back, and Indianapolis is more than happy to take their picks.
Key stats
Colts acquired a 2027 3rd, 2027 4th, and 2028 5th round pick.
Jonathan Taylor is under contract through 2028.
Colts recently lost to the Vikings 16-10.
What's next
The Colts will likely continue fielding calls for Taylor, Downs, and other veterans like DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson as the trade deadline approaches.

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