The Indianapolis Colts asked for a top WR from the Miami Dolphins
Tuesday’s self-imposed deadline to trade running back Jonathan Taylor has passed as the Indianapolis Colts placed him on the PUP list, meaning he will miss four games at least.
With no deal getting done, Indianapolis will hold on to Taylor for now but it feels like their intentions are to still trade him this season. The main team involved in negotiations was the Miami Dolphins and now we know why they could never come to an agreement.
Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Jim Irsay and the Colts threw ‘wild’ requests at the Dolphins including asking for Jaylen Waddle and more:
As @HolderStephen reported, Packers were mystery bidder for Jonathan Taylor, besides the Dolphins. And can confirm through Dolphins person, as reported by Indy media, that Colts made wild requests from Miami, including Waddle & more.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 30, 2023
I might've been laughing when I mentioned the Colts throwing out Jaylen Waddle as a trade piece on air with @JMV1070 yesterday, but make no mistake: I was being very serious. https://t.co/XVNuEPGKnl
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) August 30, 2023
Jim Irsay shoots his shot
It’s obvious that Jim Irsay thinks Taylor’s value is high with rumors of them wanting multiple first-round picks in a deal. But asking for Waddle, a top WR option for the Dolphins offense, might be over the top.
We also shouldn’t blame Irsay for asking. The Colts are in a rebuild with rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson and giving him weapons in the offense is a priority. Waddle has developed into one of the better receivers in the league, catching 179 passes for 2,371 yards and 14 touchdowns in his two-year career so far.
It’s also why you can see Miami saying no to Indianapolis with the way Waddle has played.
The expectation is that Taylor will be moved eventually as the NFL has set the trade deadline for October 31st and the Dolphins will likely be involved. But as time goes on, one side will have to budge in trade talks and we could potentially get more teams involved depending on what happens early on in the season.
Either way, this is shaping up to be a fascinating storyline to follow this season.