“You just have to continue to go to work. You got to try to win the game, play your best game to help your team win and then let the chips fall where they may.” That is how Colts running back Jonathan Taylor described his approach this week, and the team’s own site, colts.com, reported that Taylor has not requested a trade from Indianapolis. Head coach Shane Steichen said Monday, Nov. 4, that the Colts will not limit Taylor’s playing time against the Dallas Cowboys for trade-related reasons — the back is with the team and wants to win.
The report from footballr.at lays out the timeline: on Oct. 29, Taylor said he had not asked for a trade and that a possible move was not in his control, while adding that he remained proud to play for Indianapolis. On Oct. 31, reports emerged that the Colts were listening to offers for Taylor and had spoken with several interested teams — Denver, Green Bay, Minnesota, the New York Giants and Seattle. A day later, on Nov. 1, the picture shifted: Indianapolis was not actively shopping him or soliciting offers, though the team had not promised Taylor he would remain. The regular-season NFL trade deadline falls on Nov. 10, 2026, and per the reported plan, the Colts intend to re-evaluate any offers only after the game against Dallas.
Steichen: We’re Going Out to Win, Not to Limit Snaps
Steichen made clear on Nov. 4 that Taylor’s usage Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium would not be shaped by trade negotiations. As nfl.com reported, Steichen said the conversations he has had with the front office all point one direction: “We’re going out to try to go win a football game right now. That’s where we’re at.”
Taylor echoed that focus. Speaking about Sunday’s home game against the Cowboys, he told colts.com: “We got an opportunity, especially this week after last week, to come back and put a better product on the field… We got to go out there and we got to get a win. It’s at home. The fans deserve it.” He added that by Tuesday at 4 p.m. — the deadline — everyone will know “exactly what the verdict is,” and until then the job is to keep working.
Why His Week 8 Usage Looked Low
Some fans read Taylor’s limited role in the Colts’ 42-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars as a sign he was being phased out. colts.com reported the opposite: Indianapolis fell behind 28-0 at halftime and pulled its starters in the fourth quarter. Taylor finished with eight rushes for 23 yards, and the reduced workload had nothing to do with trade speculation.
After that game, Taylor acknowledged his own play needed to improve and said Thursday he is looking for ways to help the team with or without the ball in his hands. nfl.com quoted him framing the moment after the firing of general manager Chris Ballard and the start of an expected roster teardown: “Teams are going to look at us even more, foaming at the mouth… Your back is against the wall, what are you going to do? You’re going to have to fight your way out of a corner.”
Colts’ Trade Talks Stall Despite Contract Flexibility
Taylor signed a two-year contract extension worth $44 million in August 2026, which runs through the 2028 season, according to footballr.at. That deal matters because it means Indianapolis is under no contractual pressure to move him — the team does not have to trade Taylor and, per the Nov. 5 update from footballr.at, would be willing to keep building around him.
At the same time, the Nov. 5 update described the trade talks as stalled, with the offers received so far reportedly falling short of the Colts’ expectations. As nfl.com noted, Taylor turns 28 in January, so he is no longer in the early-career stage that would make him an automatic part of the franchise’s long-term plans — one reason the rumors exist at all. Still, nfl.com emphasized that for now the Colts “will continue as constructed until told otherwise by the front office,” and that could change with a single phone call before the Nov. 10 deadline.
Not Every Colts Star Is on the Market
The front office’s approach is not a wholesale fire sale. nfl.com reported that Indianapolis received but has not acted on receiver Josh Downs’ trade request — Downs still played in the Jacksonville loss — and that the team has extended defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore on a two-year deal reportedly worth $35 million. Taylor, meanwhile, has not taken plays off or let his mind drift to a possible next destination, in nfl.com’s account.
Where the Reports Disagree
The outlets differ on one point: whether the Colts are actively shopping Taylor. The Oct. 31 reports, relayed by footballr.at, said Indianapolis was listening to offers and in contact with Denver, Green Bay, Minnesota, the Giants and Seattle. The Nov. 1 reporting said the Colts were not actively seeking a buyer and were not requesting offers themselves. Both versions agree on the core facts: Taylor has not requested a trade, the team has not guaranteed he stays, and any decision will come by the Nov. 10 deadline — with the Colts planning to reassess after Sunday’s game in Dallas.
Taylor’s Game Assignment Confirmed by Deadline
The next confirmed checkpoint is Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. Eastern, when the NFL trade deadline passes and Taylor will know whether he plays his next game at Lucas Oil Stadium or somewhere else. Until then, both the player and the coach are publicly fixed on one thing — beating Dallas at home.
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