Report: Packers Tried to Trade for Colts RB Jonathan Taylor

Green Bay was reportedly the "mystery team" going after Indy's star running back.

Luke Easterling | Aug 30, 2023

Report: Packers Tried to Trade for Colts RB Jonathan Taylor /

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The Miami Dolphins weren't the only team going after Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor, but until now, that second team has been a mystery.

It was the Green Bay Packers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Neither team was able to make a deal before Tuesday's self-imposed deadline by the Colts, and Taylor will now miss the first four games of the season, as he remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

It's unclear what either team was offering the Colts in return for Taylor, or what Taylor's contract demands were for his potential new landing spot, but none of it was enough to get Indy to part with him.

Taylor would have joined a crowded backfield in Green Bay, where entrenched veterans Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon already split touches.

Earlier reports indicated the Colts were seeking a first-round pick in return for Taylor, and the Packers are likely to end up with multiple first-rounders in next year's draft, thanks to the Aaron Rodgers trade. The conditional second-round pick Green Bay received from the New York becomes a first-rounder if Rodgers plays at least 65 percent of New York's offensive snaps this season.

Published Aug 30, 2023

LUKE EASTERLING

Luke Easterling (he/him) has been covering college football and the NFL for more than two decades, with a particular focus on the nexus of both, the NFL Draft. Writing for some of the largest and most recognizable brands in sports media, Luke's experience and expertise in evaluating potential NFL prospects and evaluating team needs/fits has earned the appreciation of his readers, and the respect of his peers. Luke cut his sports journalism teeth at The Tampa Tribune before spending two years at Bleacher Report as a featured columnist covering the NFL Draft and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke then spent nearly seven years at USA TODAY Sports Media Group as editor of Draft Wire and Bucs Wire, building both into authoritative destination sites for their respective audiences. Now at The Arena Group, Luke covers the NFL and college football for Athlon Sports, and runs Sports Illustrated's FanNation site for the NFL Draft. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Luke has been a featured guest on ESPN Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio, SiriusXM and more. Based in Tampa, Florida (the true home of the Cuban sandwich), Luke plays the drums, loves 2000s pop-punk, watches way too many British murder mystery shows, and channels the energy of his deep-south Grammy and his full-Italian Nana in the kitchen. Twitter: @lukeeasterling Email: luke.easterling@si.com