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NFL rumors: 3 teams that should go all-in on Jonathan Taylor trade, 1 wild card to watch

By Cody Williams

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 02: Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts on the field in the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 02: Jonathan Taylor #28 of the Indianapolis Colts on the field in the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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Jonathan Taylor trade rumors landing spots, Buffalo Bills
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 06: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Josh Allen #17 and James Cook #28 of the Buffalo Bills in action against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on November 06, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Jets defeated the Bills 20-17. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Jonathan Taylor formally requested a trade from the Colts on Saturday, and these three teams should go all-in on a trade, with one wild card looming.

The writing was on the wall for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, without question, but he made it official on Saturday. After he and his agent had expressed displeasure with the current running back market in the NFL as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Taylor requested a trade after meeting with team owner Jim Irsay.

Missing time due to injury last season and appearing in only 11 games, Taylor still has 3,841 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns over 43 games in his career to this point, including a marvelous 1,811 yards and 18 scores in the 2021 campaign. He’s also been more than just a volume runner, averaging 5.1 yards per carry for his career.

As noted by ESPN Colts insider Stephen Holder, Irsay has said that he won’t trade Taylor, but an “early-round pick” could also be enough to move Indianapolis to make that deal. So which teams would make the most sense for a Jonathan Taylor trade?

These three teams could benefit from going all-in on Taylor, and there’s one wild card that could turn the league on its head if they got involved.

Jonathan Taylor trade rumors: 3 best landing spots, 1 wild card to swoop in

4. Jonathan Taylor could be the long-term answer the Buffalo Bills need at RB

Another offseason, another conversation about the Buffalo Bills possibly needing to upgrade their backfield around their cast of weapons headlined by Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.

The 2023 season, as things stand currently, could be the first look at James Cook earning the RB1 duties in Buffalo. The younger brother of Dalvin Cook, James has flashed some real potential early in his career. At the same time, though, there are no shortage of people who question whether or not he can be an every-down back in the NFL.

For years, the Bills have lacked a consistent rushing attack outside of Allen using his legs. That’s not for a lack of trying, to be sure. Buffalo used relatively valuable draft picks to add both Devin Singletary and Zack Moss to the fold, but neither player was able to invigorate the run game for the offense.

If there’s one lesson that the Bills should’ve learned from the rival Chiefs, though, it’s the value of having a consistent run game and how that can help the rest of the offense.

Now, Kansas City has proven that a team doesn’t need a star in the backfield, but it could make it a much simpler task to upgrade the rushing attack by adding a player of Taylor’s caliber. If they want to truly go all-in chasing a ring, then making a trade for Jonathan Taylor would undoubtedly help the cause.

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