Report: Packers Explored Trade for Jonathan Taylor

Even with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon leading the backfield, the Green Bay Packers reportedly were (and perhaps are) interested in Colts star Jonathan Taylor.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers reportedly had “legitimate interest” in trading for superstar Indianapolis Colts running back, according to ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder.

Taylor wants out of Indianapolis and was allowed to shop himself to the rest of the league, but the Colts failed to make a deal by their Tuesday deadline, Holder said. A trade remains a possibility with the NFL trade deadline set for Halloween.

“I actually don’t hate it,” said one longtime NFL executive who is not affiliated with either team. “With a young quarterback, give him a good running game. You don’t have many big paydays coming up so they can absorb the cost.”

The executive thought Dillon and a second-round pick for Taylor would make sense. The Packers potentially will have an additional first-round pick coming from the Jets for the Aaron Rodgers, so they could handle parting ways with a premium selection.

The Packers have one of the best one-two punches in the NFL with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Presumably, with the Colts trying to build a competitive team after finishing 4-12-1 last year, they would have been interested in landing the younger Dillon rather than the more accomplished Jones in a potential trade.

With Jones and Dillon, the Packers are set for 2023.

For 2024, who knows?

Jones restructured his contract to remain in Green Bay for this season but he’s due a base salary of $11.1 million and has a cap number of almost $17.2 million for next year. Moving on from Jones, who will turn 29 in December, would save almost $5 million against the cap.

Jonathan Taylor (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

Dillon is entering his final season under contract and is coming off an underwhelming season.

Taylor also is entering his final season under contract. He’s due a base salary of just $4.3 million in 2023. Presumably, part of Taylor shopping himself meant striking a deal on a contract extension.

Taylor, the former University of Wisconsin star, rushed for 1,169 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie before leading the NFL with 1,811 rushing yards, 2,171 scrimmage yards, 18 rushing touchdowns and 20 total touchdowns in 2021.

“He looks like he’s going to be a really good back,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said before the teams played in 2020, a game the Colts won while Taylor was limited to 90 yards on 22 carries. “Certainly, he’s a guy that was impressive coming out. I just think he’s got a really bright future in this league.”

Last year, however, injuries limited him to 861 rushing yards in 11 games. That ankle injury has him opening this season on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he’ll miss at least the first four games.

There could be some wear-and-tear issues at a physical performance. In three seasons at Wisconsin, Taylor had 926 rushes and 42 receptions for 970 total touches. He had a league-high 332 rushes with the Colts in 2021 and has averaged exactly 20 touches per game in his career.

Taylor, who will turn 25 in January, was the 41st selection of the 2020 draft while Dillon, who turned 25 in May, was the 62nd choice.

“If you look at the next level, what separates the great backs from the elite backs is really them playing on an elite level day in and day out every Sunday,” Taylor said at the 2020 Scouting Combine. “I think that’s one of the biggest things that separates me is my ability to be consistent year in and year out.”

An adept receiver, he has 104 receptions in three seasons.

General manager Brian Gutekunst is scheduled to talk to reporters before Wednesday’s practice. Presumably, he will sidestep any questions about Taylor.

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