The Sunday Splash! report regarding a potential fire sale in Indy was conditioned on the Colts’ performance in their three remaining games before the trade deadline. After only one game, they tapped the “Everything Must Go” sign in the front yard.
Guard Quenton Nelson, as expected, has been traded to the Seahawks. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been traded back to the 49ers, as expected.
So who’s next? Running back Jonathan Taylor has been the focal point of speculation, with ESPN linking him to the Packers, Seahawks, Broncos, and Vikings.
The Vikings got the ultimate opportunity to scout Taylor on Sunday, when he accounted for 110 of the team’s 218 total offensive yards in a 16-10 Minnesota win. Taylor averaged 5.3 yards per carry and went 38 yards for the Colts’ only touchdown of the day.
There’s an obvious incentive to maximize 2027 draft picks, especially with the Colts’ first-rounder committed to the Jets as the back end of the Sauce Gardner trade. But Taylor is under contract for two more years; they may want to keep him until the offseason, giving the next G.M. the opportunity to decide whether to retain Taylor or trade him in March.
Of course, Taylor would have more value now to a team that hopes to augment its roster for a playoff push. Although the Vikings were burned 37 years ago this month by the Herschel Walker trade, it would take much less than the ridiculous haul of picks and players (which became more picks after the Cowboys cut them) to get Taylor.
Taylor could make a huge difference for a team premised on a stout defense. While Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason have proven to be capable options at tailback, Taylor is among the best in the league. He has the power and speed to move the chains and, when given an opening, go the distance.
Whatever happens with Taylor, it’s clear the Colts aren’t waiting to see what happens over the next two weekends. In a deadline-driven business, the timeline for the Colts isn’t being driven by the deadline. It’s being determined by getting deals done now and moving on.
Broncos Clips
Broncos defensive tackle Zach Allen offered a positive update on his health after Sunday’s 30-16 win over the Cardinals.
Allen had to leave the game late in the fourth quarter after injuring his hamstring. Allen remained on the sideline until the end of the game and told reporters at a press conference that he’ll “be fine” moving forward.
Allen had three tackles and three quarterback hits against the Cardinals on Sunday. He had 21 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble coming into the game.
The Broncos also saw wide receiver Jaylen Waddle leave the game in the fourth quarter and there’s been no word about his condition heading into Week 8 at this point.
Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle left Sunday’s game against the Cardinals after suffering a chest injury on a fourth quarter play that head coach Sean Payton would like to have back.
Payton tried to get the ball to Waddle on a reverse that saw quarterback Bo Nix flip the ball to the wideout in the backfield. Waddle couldn’t handle the flip and stayed down after jumping on the ball to avoid a turnover. Waddle did not return to the 30-16 win and Payton chastised himself for the call without being asked about it in his postgame press conference.
“It was awful,” Payton said.
Payton didn’t offer a detailed update on Waddle’s condition and it will be something to monitor as they move toward their Week 8 date with the Chiefs.
The discourse surrounding Broncos quarterback Bo Nix after Week 6’s overtime win over the Seahawks was negative, but that’s unlikely to be the case after this Sunday’s game.
Nix ran for a 62-yard touchdown and went 15-of-29 for 222 yards and another touchdown to lead the Broncos to a 30-16 road win over the Cardinals. The win extends the team’s winning streak to three games and leaves them at 5-2 heading into next Sunday’s home game against the Chiefs.
The Chiefs blew the Broncos out in Week 1, but a Denver win next week would set up a good race in the AFC West over the second half of the season. More of the big plays that the Broncos used to fuel Sunday’s win would make that a likelier result.
In addition to Nix’s touchdown, the Broncos saw running back RJ Harvey break a short pass for a 52-yard touchdown and wide receiver Marvin Mims picked up 47 yards to set up a JK Dobbins touchdown run. Those are three of the four longest plays of the year for the Broncos and the team will be looking to build on that in the weeks to come.
A less positive development for the Broncos were a pair of late injuries. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle hurt his chest and defensive lineman Zach Allen hurt his hamstring late in the fourth quarter and neither player returned. That will make their status something to watch as they head into their date with Kansas City.
The Cardinals got 10 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown from tight end Trey McBride, but they never really recovered from failing to score touchdowns on two first half trips inside the Broncos’ 10-yard-line. A last-ditch effort in the final two minutes brought them back to the Denver 1-yard-line, but the Broncos defense held and the game came to an end after Nix kneeled out the clock.
Arizona is now 2-5 and they’ll head to Dallas for a game against the Cowboys next Sunday.
Explosive plays were in short supply for the Broncos in the first six weeks of the season, but they’ve found them in this Sunday’s trip to Arizona.
Quarterback Bo Nix’s 62-yard touchdown run in the second quarter staked the team to a 13-6 halftime lead and they came up with two more in the third quarter. Running back RJ Harvey caught a short pass from Nix and followed his blockers to an untouched 52-yard touchdown that put the Broncos up by 14 points.
After a Cardinals touchdown turned it back into a one-score game, Nix found wide receiver Marvin Mims for a 47-yard gain that set the Broncos up inside the 10-yard-line. A pass interference penalty moved them to the 1-yard-line and running back JK Dobbins scored on the next play.
That was also the final play of the third quarter and the Broncos are now up 27-13 in Arizona.
The Cardinals defense was able to hold the Broncos in check for most of the first half of Sunday’s game in Arizona, but one big play has made the difference for the visiting team.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown run on a scramble in the second quarter. That broke a 6-6 tie and the Broncos forced a pair of Cardinals punts to head into halftime with a 13-6 lead.
Denver only managed 98 net yards on their other 28 offensive plays in the first two quarters and they were 1-of-7 on third downs on their way to three punts of their own. Nix is 10-of-19 for 72 yards through the air and their eight non-Nix running plays have netted 30 yards.
The Cardinals haven’t been any better on offense. They have 117 yards and both of their field goals came after drives that moved inside the Broncos’ 10-yard-line. Their eight plays inside that territory have resulted in four yards and falling short in that area joins Nix’s big plays as the reason why the Cardinals are trailing at home.
Ryan Fitzpatrick might have a higher opinion of Bo Nix than he did the last time he saw the Broncos quarterback on the field.
Nix broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter of Sunday’s game in Arizona and the Broncos lead the Cardinals 13-6 as a result. It was the longest play of the season for the Broncos and it was their first run of at least 20 yards all year.
Nix only had 37 rushing yards this season before that big play and the lack of threat as a runner had some wondering if his ankle was all the way back from last season’s injury. That question was part of a diatribe from Fitzpatrick last Thursday that concluded with the Prime Video talking head calling Nix’s play “garbage” so far this season.
Sunday’s touchdown certainly didn’t fit that description and the Broncos hope that it’s a sign of things to come for the quarterback.
The Broncos will be without cornerback Pat Surtain II again on Sunday.
Surtain was listed as questionable to play against the Cardinals after returning to practice this week, but he landed on the team’s inactive list on Sunday afternoon. It is the third straight game that Surtain has missed with an ankle injury.
Quarterback Sam Ehlinger, safety Talanoa Hufanga, offensive lineman Kage Casey, tight end Dallen Bentley, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, and defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim are the other inactives for Denver.
Safety Budda Baker is active for the Cardinals after being tagged as questionable due to a groin injury and an illness. Cornerback Max Melton was also questionable and he will not play due to a knee injury.
Running back Jeremiyah Love, offensive lineman Jon Gaines, safety Andrew Wingard, and defensive lineman Walter Nolen were ruled out on Friday. Quarterback Carson Beck and offensive lineman Albert Reese are the other inactives.
The Cardinals last won at home on September 14, 2025. On Sunday, they’ll hope to keep their franchise-record home losing streak from reaching double digits.
As their reward for last week’s upset win in L.A., where the Cardinals have more victories this year than the Rams and Chargers combined, the Cardinals get the 4-2 Broncos. Who had three extra days to recover from their overtime win against the Seahawks.
A win by the Cardinals would match their total from last season (three). A loss by the Broncos would match their total from last season (also three).
Arizona’s effort will be fueled by tight end Trey McBride, who needs four catches to get to 400 career receptions. If he does it, he’ll be the second-fastest tight end in NFL history to 400 catches, needing only 73 games. Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow got there in 72 games.
With the Colts turning the page at the top of the front office — and possibly, in time, at the top of the coaching staff — the possibility of trading veteran players is on the table.
But with the deadline still 16 days away, and with most of three full weekends left to be played, it’s still too early to sell off contracts.
Via the Batman-and-Joker turned Batman-and-Robin of ESPNFL, the plan is to see whether the Colts can improve their 2-4 record in the coming three games against the Vikings, Jaguars, and Cowboys before deciding whether to trade away certain players.
The biggest name of the bunch belongs to running back Jonathan Taylor. Per the carefully (but also a little clunkily) worded report: “The Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Vikings are among the teams that have, or are expected to, pondered the possibility of a trade for the star running back, according to sources.”
That feels like an effort by the Colts to maximize the market, in an effort to maximize the return. The more teams that are at the table, the more the Colts will get for their biggest star.
The Colts gave Taylor a new contract in the offseason, a two-year, $44 million extension. A trade would result in a 2027 cap charge of $10 million, and it would shift the final two years of his current deal to his next team, at a compensation package of $16.02 million for 2027 and $17.98 million in 2028. The deal also has $1 million in incentives attached to each of the final two seasons.
The Colts don’t have a first-round draft pick in 2027, thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade. Surely, they’d want at least that much for Taylor, especially after giving him a $15 million signing bonus when Taylor signed his extension.
Of the teams that were listed, the Vikings, Broncos, and Seahawks make the most sense. Each is a contender with an offense that would benefit from the presence of an elite tailback. The Packers, who are getting Josh Jacobs back today, make the least sense; adding them to the list seems to be nothing more than an effort to get the Vikings to give up a little more in an effort to ensure he won’t land with a viable division rival.
Other potential trade candidates mentioned by the report include veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (who could go back to the 49ers, who traded him to the Colts), guard Quenton Nelson (who’s in the last year of his deal), and defensive tackle Grover Stewart.
Whatever the Colts do, or don’t do, at the trade deadline will impact the deck of cards the next G.M. has. Without knowing who the next G.M. will be, it’s impossible to know whether that person would prefer to have Taylor moving forward or whatever the Colts can get for him.
Regardless — and this is true for any team thinking about trading players before the deadline — the remaining weeks will be a factor. Some teams won’t be ready to make their moves until Week 9 has ended; in some cases, the final decision hinges on winning or losing in the last game before the window closes.
