Once upon a time, the Colts traded Marshall Faulk, after four 1,000-yard rushing performances in five seasons. Could history sort of repeat itself?
Stephen Holder, who covers the Colts for ESPN.com, has mentioned the possibility of running back Jonathan Taylor being traded by the team.
It would have been inconceivable a year ago, when Taylor entered the year as everyone’s first overall fantasy football pick. And for good reason. He had 1,811 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2021, his second NDL season.
Last year came the regression, thanks to an ankle injury and dysfunction that enveloped the entire franchise.
Now, with owner Jim Irsay admitting that no offer has been made to Taylor, who is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, Holder won’t rule out a trade.
Appearing on SportsCenter, Holder mentioned a comment Taylor made about the running back position earlier this year: “You see why guys start to demand trades.”
Of course, a trade doesn’t mean Taylor will get the contract he wants. That’s part of the reality of the position. Typically, the great ones get their financial rewards from the teams for which they have played great, since there’s a certain amount of fan equity that comes from, say, 1,811 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in a single season. In a new city and with a new team, Taylor would be starting from scratch, which means the new team would have to believe he’s truly ready to claw out multiple special seasons.
And even if he demands a trade, there’s nothing he can do to force it. The rigging of the system against running backs includes one very important factor: teams know that football players desperately want to play football.
Most teams will use that reality against them, whenever and wherever they can.