Indianapolis Colts superstar running back Jonathan Taylor has requested a trade, according to multiple reports. Taylor is involved in a contract-related standoff with the Colts. He is currently scheduled to enter the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, which will pay him a base salary of $4.3 million in 2023, per Spotrac.

Contract talks are at a standstill amidst a league-wide trend of running backs failing to land the lucrative contracts they desire. Furthermore, Colts owner Jim Irsay and Taylor’s agent, Malki Kawa of First Round Management, have exchanged blows via social media. This situation doesn’t appear headed toward an amicable resolution.

Taylor is one of the league’s few elite ball-carriers. A trade won’t be easy to facilitate given recent trends, especially with Taylor’s public wishes for a multi-year extension. Despite the difficulties posed, teams should at least kick the tires on acquiring an extremely talented player like Taylor. We’ve identified three potential suitors.

NEW YORK JETS

The Jets aren’t afraid to invest capital in the running back position. A year after drafting Breece Hall with a second-round selection, general manager Joe Douglas added Israel Abanikanda to his backfield. Questions loom as Hall continues to strive toward making a return from last year’s season-ending ACL injury.

The Jets recently hosted free-agent running back Dalvin Cook on a visit. It insinuates Douglas is contemplating adding insurance behind a recovering Hall. Given the Jets’ interest in Cook, a conversation with the Colts to gauge their interest level in moving Taylor is warranted.

Douglas could buck the trend against running backs because his Jets are in win-now mode. They’re operating under a different sense of urgency from most teams. At best, franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers will provide the Jets with two opportunities to win a Super Bowl. Acquiring Taylor would increase their chances.

Rodgers recently adjusted his contract to provide the Jets with more immediate cap space. They now rank in the top 10 of available money, cracking a window open for one more big acquisition.

CHICAGO BEARS

Early reports out of training camp indicate Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields appears primed to take a significant step forward in year three. Fields has been accurate and decisive while looking like a more complete quarterback. The Bears should continue investing in Fields’ supporting cast.

Fields established himself as a dynamic athlete at the quarterback position with a historic 2022 campaign. The Bears are still equipped with a league-leading $27.9 million in cap space. Adding Taylor to this backfield could help the Bears carbon copy the magic captured by Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles’ dual-threat offense.

Pairing Fields with a difference maker like Taylor would stress opposing defenses by forcing them to make decisions when defending option plays. Is the backfield of Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, and Roschon Johnson good enough to complement Fields? The potential is present, but Taylor would elevate things to a new level.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

We’re not necessarily advocating for the New England Patriots to trade for Taylor. We’re admitting that Bill Belichick moves to the beat of his own drum. Belichick has always preferred to roster a stable of capable backs while rotating bodies in and out of the lineup. It’s precisely why the Patriots recently hosted free-agent running back Ezekiel Elliott on a visit despite the presence of Rhamondre Stevenson.

Elliott would complement Stevenson nicely as the team’s short-yardage back, but perhaps a desperate Belichick, who sees his Patriots falling behind the Buffalo Bills, Jets, and Miami Dolphins in an ultra-competitive AFC East, will opt for a bigger splash than Elliott is capable of providing. Taylor would remove some of the pressure from Stevenson and Mac Jones.