“We’re not trading Jonathan . . . end of discussion,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said on July 29. “Not now and not in October!”
In fairness to Irsay, he didn’t say “and not August and not in September!”
Yes, the Colts have abruptly changed their tune. They’ve given Taylor permission to seek a trade.
Any trade will have two clear prongs: (1) what the Colts wants in trade; and (2) what Taylor wants in a contract.
The goal could be to let Taylor realize that, even if there’s a team that will placate the Colts, there might be no one to satisfy Taylor’s financial expectations.
That could result in Taylor realizing that his best play will be to play for $4.3 million this year, have a big season, and try to work something out next March, with the Colts or someone else.
Frankly, and as we’ve said before, this is something that should have happened in March 2023, before teams blew their budgets and set their depth charts. Taylor’s sudden availability entails plenty of moving parts, and it will prompt teams to turn existing plans on their heads.
That said, it could still happen. The Colts, applying G.M. Chris Ballard’s belief that he wants volunteers and not hostages, could be inclined to move on. Taylor could be inclined to take not what he wants but what he can get.
The truth seems to be that something needed to happen. And it’s happening. What happen next remains to be seen.