Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor is staying put with the team. The Colts couldn’t come to an agreement on a trade before Tuesday’s deadline.
Indianapolis reportedly requested a lot of assets from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Taylor, including star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and more.
As @HolderStephen reported, Packers were mystery bidder for Jonathan Taylor, besides the Dolphins. And can confirm through Dolphins person, as reported by Indy media, that Colts made wild requests from Miami, including Waddle & more.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 30, 2023
Taylor, 24, was selected with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and has played three seasons in the NFL, all as a member of the Colts franchise. He ran for 861 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games played during the 2022 regular season (all starts).
For as productive as Taylor’s 2022 season was, it paled in comparison to his 2021 season, the best season of his pro career by a wide margin. The 5-foot-10 running back put up monster numbers during the 2021 regular season, as he led the league in rushing yards (1,811), rushing touchdowns (18) and rushing yards per game (106.5).
Additionally, his longest rushing attempt that season was for a whopping 83 yards.
These numbers were good enough for Taylor to finish second in the 2021 NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year voting. Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp finished in first place, but Taylor ended up with more votes than star quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who finished in third and fourth place, respectively.
Meanwhile, Waddle, 24, has played two seasons in the NFL, both as a member of the Dolphins franchise. He is fresh off the best season of his pro career in the 2022 season.
Waddle racked up 1,356 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns in 17 appearances with the Dolphins during the 2022 regular season (all starts). Additionally, he led the league in yards per reception (18.1).
The Dolphins seem to have made the right decision by not giving in to the Colts’ asking price for Taylor. After all, Waddle was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL a season ago, and considering he’s only 24 years old, he likely still has his best football ahead of him.
