NFL Trade Rumors: Colts' Jonathan Taylor to Panthers? Play vs. Falcons Week 1?

Jonathan Taylor wants a trade from the Indianapolis Colts. Could he be traded to the Carolina Panthers and play the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1?

The Indianapolis Colts are shocking the NFL after allowing running back Jonathan Taylor to seek trades after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension.

Taylor has one year left on his deal and the former rushing champion wants more money, but given the current makeup of the running back market, it's been difficult for the former Wisconsin Badger to get a new deal.

Among the teams that could look to trade for Taylor are the Carolina Panthers, one of the biggest rivals for the Atlanta Falcons and their Week 1 opponent. Could Taylor line up against the Falcons in the season opener on Sept. 10?

Of course, there are a few hurdles that have to be conquered in order for this to happen, but the Panthers have reason to be interested in Taylor.

First, the Panthers are coached by Frank Reich, who coached Taylor and the Colts in each of the past three seasons. Reich drafted Taylor, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he wanted to trade for him as well.

On top of that, the Panthers just traded a big running back, Christian McCaffrey, less than a year ago ... and haven't found a considerable replacement since. In 2020, the Panthers signed McCaffrey to a four-year, $64 million contract, which was the richest extension in NFL history at the time for the position. This shows that Carolina could possibly be willing to sign Taylor long-term.

The Panthers currently have former Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders leading the backfield, but adding Taylor would give the team a strong one-two punch.

Those are two big reasons why the Panthers would trade for Taylor, but there are equally as many reasons why they would not make the move.

Sanders signed a four-year deal in the offseason, meaning the team has stability at the position for the foreseeable future. Plus, Sanders at $25 million is likely better value than Taylor at whatever price he's seeking.

On top of that, the Colts are requesting a first-round pick in exchange for Taylor. However, the Panthers traded their first-round pick in 2024 to the Chicago Bears to help move up to the No. 1 pick in this year's draft to take quarterback Bryce Young.

Either way, it will be tricky for Taylor to find a trade with the season just around the corner knowing how the league already feels about running backs. The Panthers may be one of the likeliest teams to make the move, but there's still an unlikely chance that the Falcons face off against him in Week 1.

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You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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