Dolphins In Two-Team Race For Taylor With Colts Deadline Approaching

The Miami Dolphins' pursuit of Colts tailback Jonathan Taylor has more to do with opportunity than desperation

The clock is ticking on the Indianapolis Colts’ self-imposed Tuesday deadline to find a new home for former Pro Bowl tailback Jonathan Taylor.

The Miami Dolphins and a second team, likely an NFC team, are involved in the 11th-hour bidding for Taylor, according to a league source. 

Which team sweetens their offer before NFL rosters must be trimmed down to 53 players by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline likely will determine who lands the 2021 MVP candidate, who rushed for 861 yards and scored four touchdowns in the 11 games he played in an injury-shortened 2022 season.

Miami is interested in getting a deal done for Taylor, whose relationship has soured with the Colts because of the franchise's unwillingness to offer a multi-year extension this offseason. And the Dolphins seemingly are willing to compensate Taylor with a multi-year deal that will make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid tailbacks, which is what keeps the Dolphins among the front-runners to land Taylor's services.

But the Dolphins won’t participate in a bidding war, according to a team source, and any compensation sent to Indianapolis won't include a first-round pick.

What would new deal for Taylor look like?

Taylor is making $4.3 million in the final season of his rookie deal and is seeking a multi-year deal that pays him north of $12 million a season from whatever franchise acquires him.

The Dolphins used first-round picks to acquire All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill and pass rusher Bradley Chubb, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, the past two seasons, but are seemingly unwilling to part with another first-round pick for various reasons.

First, Taylor presently is injured, nursing a back injury, which very well might be his excuse to participate in a hold-in. But he did miss six games last season, and wasn't the same caliber of player who averaged 106.5 rushing yards per game in 2021.

The Dolphins also are comfortable with the team’s stable of tailbacks, which is led by Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, who collectively accounted for 1,751 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns last year. Miami also added De’Von Achane, a speedster from Texas A&M the Dolphins used a third-round pick to select in the 2023 NFL draft.

Mostert, who averaged 4.9 yards per carry last season, gained 891 rushing yards on 181 carries and 202 yards on 31 receptions before breaking a finger in the regular season finale against the Jets.

Wilson, who the Dolphins acquired in a trade at midseason, averaged 4.7 yards a carry in his eight games with the Dolphins, rushing for 392 yards and scoring four touchdowns on 84 carries.

Dolphins continuously shopping for backs

However, the Dolphins have been aggressive when it comes to exploring tailback upgrades this year.

Miami inquired about trades for Las Vegas Raiders tailback Josh Jacobs, who like Taylor is at an impasse with the Raiders over the franchise’s unwillingness to give him a multi-year deal (although he did sign a one-year deal), and D’Andre Swift when he was being shopped by the Detroit Lions before getting traded to the Eagles during draft weekend.

The Dolphins also were bidders for Dalvin Cook after he was released from Minnesota, before he signed a one-year deal worth $8 million with the New York Jets.

Tuesday's deadline is important because Taylor is on the Colts' Physically Unable to Perform List, and Indianapolis must either move the former Wisconsin standout in a trade, activate him and place him on the 53-man roster, or keep him on the PUP list, which would make him ineligible to play for the first four games of the season.

Mike McDaniel has vowed to get back to his roots as a run game specialist, making the pass-happy Dolphins of 2022 a more balanced team.

“It’s a valuable position that you have to have depth at,” McDaniel said Thursday before pointing out the Dolphins like the depth in the tailback unit. “You’ve gone to practices and you’ve seen two games. Pick a day, pick a game and you’ve seen a running back make plays. A running back!

“There are different ones every time,” McDaniel said, referring to Myles Gaskin’s impressive performance (57 yards on seven carries) against the Atlanta Falcons in the first preseason loss, and Salvon Ahmed’s standout performance (99 rushing yards on 12 carries) in last Saturday’s 28-3 preseason win over the Houston Texans.

“Speaks to the competition that we have in that room and that’s why I’ve always valued the position. It’s a big portion of your touches and you understand that in that process you have to have a good solid group really for the team, and for your offense for the whole year," McDaniel continued. “I got my feet wet really in NFL game planning in the run game, so it’s near and dear to my heart.”

Taylor, who has averaged 5.1 yards per attempt in his 756 career carries, could make Miami an AFC championship contender because his presence in the backfield would help McDaniel create the run-pass conflict he aspires for defenses to be in when they face Miami.

Do Dolphins need tailback help?

Last season the Dolphins averaged 6.2 rushing yards below the league average of 102.5 yards per game.

That's not ideal for an RPO-based offense, which is supposed to lean heavily on the run game.

A talent like Taylor would take some of the pressure off Tua Tagovailoa because his presence in the backfield would open up the passing game more, and a more reliable run game would help open up the field for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

The Dolphins seriously considered drafting Taylor with the 2020 first-round pick the franchise used to select cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, and now have a chance to right a franchise wrong.

The biggest question is whether the deals — plural — can get done, and at what or whose expense?