With the Indianapolis Colts already beginning their fire sale, NFL trade deadline speculation swirls around running back Jonathan Taylor.
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speculation → begin → Taylor
Will the Colts let their biggest offensive weapon go to accumulate my draft stock?
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weapon → let → stock
Taylor was asked about the rumors, and for one, he has not requested a trade.
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he → ask → trade
He has reaffirmed his desire to stay, but also understands that’s not his call at the end of the day.
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that → reaffirm → day
Business is business in the NFL, and he understands that.
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he → understand → that
"I haven’t heard anything," he said on Thursday, per FOX59’s Mike Chappell.
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he → hear → Chappell
"I can’t control that, obviously.
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I → control → that
Like you guys know, I’m proud to wear the horseshoe, proud to be here.
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I → know → horseshoe
Similar to Quenton [Nelson] and [DeForest Buckner], they were proud to wear the horseshoe, they were proud to be here.
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they → wear → horseshoe
But obviously, circumstances may cause otherwise.
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circumstances → cause → ?
Hopefully that day may not come, but I can’t control that.
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I → come → that
The Colts initiated a blockbuster to kick off the trade deadline period, sending Nelson, an All-Pro guard, to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and 2028 fifth-round pick on Tuesday.
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Colts → initiate → Tuesday
Then, fellow All-Pro DeForest Buckner, who is also a three-time Pro Bowler, reunited with the San Francisco 49ers, the team that took him seventh overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, after the Colts traded him for a 2027 fourth-round pick later on Tuesday.
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Colts → reunite → Tuesday
Since then, wide receiver Josh Downs has reportedly requested a trade from Indianapolis.
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Downs → request → Indianapolis
And this all comes after owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired GM Chris Ballard on Oct. 19 following a 10-year stint with the team that went 72-82-1 under his roster construction.
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that → come → construction
So, it’s hard to focus on the weekly grind when those trade rumors are flying around with other players, but Taylor, despite him being atop team’s list if available, is trying his best to block it out.
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him → ’ → it
"The only thing that I can control is rallying these guys in the locker room, helping us put together a great plan and executing a great plan for Jacksonville because it's a division game and they're licking their chops right now.
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they → control → chops
They think they're going to kick us while we're down and that has to be the point of emphasis," he added.
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he → think → emphasis
Irsay-Gordon reportedly does not want to move Taylor, who signed a two-year, $44 million contract extension in August.
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who → want → August
But we’ve already seen players, who signed extensions get dealt, with the Tennessee Titans reaching a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Bears on Thursday despite inking a three-year, $105.8 million deal that made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league back in June.
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him → see → June
The Colts also landed New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner this time last year after he signed an extension.
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he → land → extension
So, anything is in the cards, especially when there’s a lot of time left for teams to consider trades before the deadline on Nov. 10.
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teams → ’ → Nov.
Meanwhile, head coach Shane Steichen will continue to prepare his club.
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Steichen → continue → club
He was asked if Taylor had asked for a trade.
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Taylor → ask → trade
"Those are hypothetical things right now," he responded.
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he → respond → ?
"I know there’s stuff floating around there, but JT’s on our football team."
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JT → know → team
If the Colts are indeed willing to trade Taylor for the right package, a team would be getting one of the best at his position in the NFL.
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team → trade → NFL
The 27-year-old has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in four of his six NFL campaigns, and he’s on pace for another after rushing for 587 yards with eight touchdowns through seven games.
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he → rush → games
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