The Price For Jonathan Taylor: 1st Round Pick + Defensive Tackle

The Colts are listening to offers for star Running Back Jonathan Taylor, despite him not requesting a trade like other Colts mid-2026 season. The Colts are reportedly valuing Taylor highly and there is a strong market for the 2025 NFL leader in Total Touchdowns from scrimmage, as teams look for him to be a final piece for a deep playoff run.

However, they are more than willing to keep Jonathan Taylor if no trade offer appeals to them.

Of the offers they’ve already received, per The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero’s reported what isn’t enough to get the Colts to move on from their best Offensive player.

A 2nd and another pick gets you hung up on. The Colts want a strong haul for Jonathan Taylor to trade him away before he breaks their franchise all time rushing yard record set by Hall of Famer Edgerrin James.

Per journalist Josina Anderson of Exhibit News Network (formerly with CBS, ESPN, Fox, and Showtime), the Colts have named a price.

The Colts want a Round 1 pick (2027 or 2028, hasn’t been specified) as well as a defensive tackle. With DeForest Buckner a 49er once again, Grover Stewart over 33 years old and on an expiring deal, and Adetomiwa Adebawore on an expiring deal (albeit he is a priority re-sign according to the Colts), it makes sense the Colts would want to address the interior of their defensive front in their biggest potential trade before the deadline.

With the list of suitors longer than a CVS receipt, there are a lot of different players (along with different draft pick packages) the Colts could net. Entering in a rebuild and previously prioritizing trading away expiring veteran contracts (Buckner and Quenton Nelson, the Colts will most likely prioritize young Defensive Tackles still on rookie contracts that could be promising additions to add to a developing core.

Domonique “Big Citrus” Orange is a shorter 6’1.875” but hulking near 330 lb Nose Tackle/ 1 Technique who would be a natural fit as a successor to Grover Stewart to help demand double teams in the interior and defend the run.

Arguably one of the best run defenders of the 2026 NFL Draft, Orange could go a long way to helping fix the Colts run defense.

Chris McClellan is a 6’3 and 317 lb defender who also can play the same position as Orange and is closer to Grover Stewart’s size (6’4 and 314 lb.). He previously played as a Defensive End in college before shifting inside and getting 6 sacks in his final year at Missouri. Plays with a lot of power in his hands and a quick burst off the line.

Finally the Colts could also see a hometown return with former local Indiana high schooler Darius Alexander being part of a trade package. The former Arizona Cardinal was traded to the Giants mid-2025 and was a rookie of the week nominee afterwards with his flashes as a pass rusher. Unlike the prior two linemen, Alexander isn’t a space eater but rather a gap shooter from 3 Technique (sometimes 5 Technique Defensive End). He would be part of a rotation with Adebawore and could line up alongside the breakout Colts defensive tackle in certain rush packages on clear passing downs. This former Toledo Rocket could help solidify a strong rotation at a crucial interior spot.

Whether it is one of these three young Defensive Tackles, or another team is willing to pay the price for Jonathan Taylor, the Colts will only make a trade if they get an offer that blows them away.

Otherwise, expect Jonathan Taylor to remain a Colt. The former Wisconsin Badger is under contract through the 2028 season, by which time the Colts will likely have a new young Quarterback via the 2027 or 2028 Draft to hopefully turn into a new franchise QB. They could keep Taylor for the length of his deal as he is still only 27, or trade him in the 2026 offseason instead of midseason and still get a nice return (presuming health, knock on wood).

The ball is in the rest of the NFL’s court. Should any team wants 3 potential playoff pushes with one of the best pure runners in the NFL leading their backfield, then they’ll have to pony up before the trade deadline… before one of their fellow competitors does instead.