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By Aman Sharma
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Jonathan Taylor might be wearing a different uniform within a week, but the Indianapolis Colts aren’t parking him on the bench in the meantime.
Head coach Shane Steichen said the running back will play against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 8 if no deal gets done first, according to The Athletic’s James Boyd. Steichen isn’t interested in sitting Taylor to keep him healthy for a buyer.
The coach kept it simple.
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“There’s a lot of stuff out there right now,” Steichen said. “He’s on our football team, and he’s excited for this opportunity to go play. He wants to go win this game.”
Steichen didn’t pretend the phones were quiet, either.
“People are going to call, that’s just part of the business,” Steichen said. “You’ve got to be a professional and show up to work.”
Dallas gives up more rushing yards than any team in the league and allows the most per carry. Leaning on Taylor would also help keep quarterback Dak Prescott on the sideline.
Taylor’s last outing was quiet. He logged 38 snaps in a 42-7 loss at Jacksonville that dropped Indianapolis to 2-6, running eight times for 23 yards and catching four of five targets for 24 more.
Through eight games, Taylor has 610 rushing yards, good for eighth leaguewide, and eight touchdowns on 148 carries. He’s added 21 catches for 202 yards.
A deal still looks likely, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. On “The Adam Schefter Podcast,” he predicted Indianapolis would move Taylor by Nov. 10, the trade deadline.
Four teams came up by name.
“We have the Vikings, Giants, Broncos, Packers, others interested in Jonathan Taylor,” he said. “They’re all not going to get Jonathan Taylor. One team might get Jonathan Taylor.”
Indianapolis has already rejected a second-round pick, The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero reported.
Money could force the issue. Taylor, 27, inked a two-year, $44 million extension this year, and his $15 million base salary for 2027 turns fully guaranteed come February, per Over the Cap.
No trade request has come from Taylor, who wants to stay but admits his future isn’t in his hands. For now, he’s set to face the league’s softest run defense on Nov. 8.
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