Will yet another big-name running back join the AFC East ahead of the 2023 NFL season?
The loaded division has added two star running backs this month with Ezekiel Elliott joining the New England Patriots and Dalvin Cook inking a deal with the New York Jets. The trend could continue after the Indianapolis Colts reportedly granted RB Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade.
One team to keep an eye on in the Taylor sweepstakes: the Miami Dolphins. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins are expected to explore a deal for the former first-team All-Pro.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE
That news is unsurprising since Miami reportedly was in the mix for Cook before the former Minnesota Vikings RB landed in New York. And although the Dolphins already have solid running back depth with Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Myles Gaskin, and rookie De'Von Achane, Taylor would give them another elite offensive weapon alongside star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Plus, Achane is dealing with a shoulder issue and both Mostert and Wilson have been prone to injuries in the past.
If a team does trade for Taylor, it will cost them a pretty penny. ESPN's Stephen Holder reports the Colts are seeking a first-round draft pick or a package of picks that equates to as much in a potential deal.
Taylor, a second-round pick by the Colts in 2020, is entering the final year of his rookie deal. After a sensational 2021 campaign in which he tallied a league-high 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, he rushed for only 861 yards and only four TDs in 11 games during a 2022 campaign that was marred by an ankle injury.