Colts' Taylor reportedly requests trade, Irsay says team won't deal him

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has formally requested a trade ahead of the final season on his rookie contract, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Colts owner Jim Irsay says the team "will not trade Jonathan Taylor. That is a certainty. Not now or not in October," according to Stephen Holder of ESPN.

The request comes shortly after Irsay and Taylor met on the owner's bus at practice on Saturday, per Rapoport.

"If I die tonight and Jonathan Taylor is out of the league, no one's gonna miss us," Irsay told reporters after his meeting with Taylor, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. "The league goes on. We know that. The National Football (League) rolls on. It doesn't matter who comes and who goes, and it's a privilege to be a part of it."

"It was just a good conversation," Irsay added about his meeting with Taylor, according to Kevin Bowen of The Athletic. "We're just hopeful going forward, looking forward to a great season and hoping Jonathan's a big part of that."

Irsay stated there are no immediate plans to sign Taylor to a contract extension, according to Holder.

The Colts owner tweeted his thoughts on the running back market on Wednesday, which sparked a reaction from Taylor's agent, Malki Kawa.

Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player https://t.co/ZYvrLhxygG

- malki kawa (@malkikawa) July 27, 2023

Taylor has a $4.3-million base salary in 2023, according to Over the Cap. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

The 24-year-old Taylor has been with the Colts since being selected in the second round of the 2020 draft. He has 3,841 rushing yards in 43 career games.

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