The Indianapolis Colts have given superstar running back Jonathan Taylor permission to openly discuss a trade with teams around the league.
What is Jonathan Taylor worth? Probably not a first round draft pick, but certainly a couple of 2nd, 3rd, or 4th rounders. Let's take a look at the teams who are in the race to land JT if he is traded from the Colts over the next couple of weeks.
DraftKings Sportsbook released its odds on landing spots for JT earlier today.
Here are my thoughts on some of the potential destinations when examining fit, salary, and draft capital.
Miami Dolphins +250
It's a good thought for all of you south Florida fans, including Brandon Kravitz, but I don't see this as a deal that actually get's done. Miami did flirt with the idea of free agent running back Dalvin Cook before he ended up signing with the New York Jets. Now Cook has openly said that he chose to go to New York so he could join forces with Aaron Rodgers and not play against him as he has throughout the first six years of his career in the NFC North. However, with Cook being a Miami native and the Dolphins having a competitive roster with little competition in the backfield, I do believe the Dolphins were hesitant to offer cook an enticing financial deal despite their $13.8 million in cap space.
The Phins could have potentially have held off on signing Cook due to the possibility of JT getting traded, but I find it unlikely. Unless Taylor becomes an unwanted man, the Dolphins might not be able to give up the draft picks it would take to bring in Taylor. The Dolphins have one of the worst draft capital values in the league according to tankathon.com, largely due to the acquisition of WR Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs where they gave up five picks. I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but I also don't know if Taylor would like the idea of joining one of eight teams that ran for under 1,800 yards last season behind a sub-par offensive line.
Chicago Bears +400
Pairing JT with a QB like Justin Fields would be a joy to watch. The Bears led the NFL in rushing yards last season with over 3,000, and adding Taylor could lead to him and Fields both cracking the top ten in rushing yards. The Bears have the cap space to make it happen and the draft capital seems in order. The Bears do not possess a true No. 1 with Khalil Herbert returning from an injury-filled season, and Dont'a Foreman coming over in free agency after a solid year in Carolina. JT would certainly slide in and be the No. 1 right away, however I don't believe this is a greats system to succeed.
The Bears haven't produced a 1,100 yard rusher from the running back position since 2017. There is new turnover in Chicago with Matt Eberflus taking over as head coach, but his background comes on the defensive side of the ball and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is entering his second year as an offensive coordinator at the NFL level. I think there is a better spot.
Where is the better spot? Baltimore? Denver? Dallas? Buffalo? Elsewhere? I don't know exactly, but check out the podcast from today's 'In The Zone' for a full breakdown from myself, Brandon, and friend of the show and voice of the Orlando Magic - Jake Chapman!