Jonathan Taylor Stands Firm in Indianapolis Amid Roster Turnover
Jonathan Taylor is content playing for the Indianapolis Colts, even this version of the team. That is why the three-time Pro Bowl running back has not requested a trade, choosing instead to tune out the speculation swirling around the locker room. As the Associated Press and the Winnipeg Free Press reported, Taylor spent Thursday reflecting on a pair of high-profile trades that shipped two of his longtime teammates to the NFC West while passionately urging the rest of the roster to block out the noise and focus purely on football.
The turbulent week in Indianapolis began with the firing of general manager Chris Ballard, followed by Tuesday’s blockbuster moves that sent perennial Pro Bowlers Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner out of town. The Colts acquired a 2027 third-round draft pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder from the Seattle Seahawks for Nelson, a three-time All-Pro left guard. They also picked up a 2027 fourth-rounder from the San Francisco 49ers for Buckner. Both Nelson, at 30 years old, and Buckner, at 32, were playing on expiring contracts. Taylor, by contrast, signed a two-year, $44 million contract extension in August that keeps him under contract through 2028.
Running Back Remains Committed Despite Team Trades
At just 27 years old, the 2021 NFL rushing champion has shown zero signs of slowing down. He led the league with 18 touchdown runs last season and shares the league lead with eight scores entering Week 8, alongside 587 rushing yards that rank him fifth overall. Despite the franchise accumulating draft capital—partly to offset the loss of their 2027 first-round pick traded to the New York Jets last year for cornerback Sauce Gardner—Taylor remains firmly committed to the team that drafted him in 2020.
“I’m always proud to wear the horseshoe,” Taylor said. “No one is going out there, waving the white flag of surrender. We’re going out there to compete. We’re going out there to get a ‘W.’ And every time you go on the field, you want to dominate and show you’re the best. So that’s what we’re going to do. It’s part of my job, especially after losing two captains.”
The absences of Nelson and Buckner will inevitably alter the team’s weekly preparations. The Colts expect rookie Jalen Farmer to step into Nelson’s left guard spot despite having logged just three offensive snaps this season, while fourth-year defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore is slated for increased playing time in Buckner’s former role. Offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. acknowledged the monumental challenge of filling those shoes.
“Nobody’s going to replace Quenton Nelson,” Sparano said. “You tell me who in the league is going to replace Quenton Nelson, man for man? It ain’t happening. So he is not replacing Quenton. This is an opportunity for him to begin his journey and those are two independent journeys.”
With a Sunday matchup approaching against the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars, Taylor is pushing his teammates to look forward rather than dwell on the roster overhaul. For now, Taylor is keeping his eyes fixed on the field.
“The fans need something to look at, the fans need something to say ‘Hey, they’re trying,’” Taylor said. “We’re out here, we’re trying to compete and we’re trying to win.”
