Indianapolis shipped two veteran stars to contenders on Tuesday, and now Jonathan Taylor's name is the one circling the rumor mill ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
The Colts made their rebuild official on Tuesday, sending offensive lineman Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the 49ers. Both players land with teams built to contend now, a clear sign Indianapolis is looking toward the future rather than this season.
That future may not include Jonathan Taylor. The star running back, who is set to earn over $20 million in each of the next two seasons, is widely expected to be dealt before the Nov. 10 deadline as the Colts continue clearing out veteran talent. There is even chatter that Indianapolis could simply hold him out of action on Sunday if a trade is in the works, rather than risk him on the field.
The uncertainty has reached Taylor's family. His wife has spoken publicly about the toll the rumors are taking, saying her mind is spiraling as she waits to see whether her husband will still be a Colt.
If Taylor goes, the Colts' backfield would fall to Seth McGowan, a seventh-round pick out of Kentucky who is the only other running back on the roster to have played a snap this season, with DJ Giddens behind him.