The Green Bay Packers enter the final stretch before the NFL trade deadline with a clear need to fortify their running game.
Through the early portion of the season, Green Bay has ranked near the bottom of the league in rushing production, relying on a committee of backs while Josh Jacobs spent the first six weeks on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Jacobs has now been activated and is set to make his 2026 debut, yet the Packers continue to evaluate external options that could give their offense a more dynamic presence on the ground.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, writing with Ian Rapoport, the Packers are among the teams that have or are expected to consider a trade for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
Schefter noted that Green Bay previously explored acquiring Taylor in August 2023, when the Colts sought wide receiver Christian Watson and additional compensation in return.
Those discussions never advanced to a completed deal, but the possibility of revisiting them has resurfaced as the Nov. 10 deadline approaches.
A move would reunite Taylor with the state where he became a college star at Wisconsin, rushing for more than 6,000 yards and earning multiple All-American honors before entering the NFL.
Taylor, now 27 and in the prime of his career, remains under contract through 2028.
He is owed the balance of a roughly $7 million base salary this season, followed by $16 million next year and nearly $18 million in 2028.
Those figures make him a significant financial commitment, yet several contending teams view the three-time Pro Bowl back as one of the more impactful players who could become available.
For the Packers, adding a back with Taylor’s combination of vision, burst, and receiving ability could complement Jacobs and give quarterback Jordan Love a more reliable complement in the backfield.
Any pursuit would face significant hurdles. Sources familiar with the Colts’ thinking indicate that owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon regards Taylor as a foundational piece of the organization and a probable mainstay as the franchise works through its current transition.
Acquiring him would likely require premium draft-pick compensation, a price Green Bay’s front office would have to weigh carefully against its own long-term needs.
With the Colts planning to evaluate their next three games before deciding whether to sell, the Packers have a narrow window to gauge Indianapolis’s willingness to engage.
If the Colts ultimately become sellers, Taylor’s name will remain one of the most closely watched around the league, and Green Bay’s interest ensures the Packers will be part of the conversation.
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