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As the fire sale for the Indianapolis Colts continues, one name that has now reportedly been made available is Jonathan Taylor. The superstar running back has been an icon for the franchise and has instantly demanded a ton of attention from teams across the league.
One of those teams is the New York Giants. But while one analyst believes pulling the trigger on a blockbuster trade would be a mistake for the franchise, fans are less convinced of that doom.
Once it became clear that the Colts were listening to offers for Taylor, one name that many people linked to them was the Giants. Given their turnaround this season under head coach John Harbaugh and their desire for a difference maker on the ground, the pairing made immediate sense.
However, Ted Nguyen of The Athletic was less convinced that it was a great idea. Instead, he pushed back against a potential move as a potential mistake by the Giants, who were steadily building a foundation in the NFC.
“Giants going after Jonathan Taylor is a classic team that’s ‘ahead of schedule’ mistake imo,” Nguyen argued. “Harbaugh had made a difference, and they are competing every week, but do they really think they are an RB away from being a true contender?”
Instead, he believes the best place for Taylor is on a team ready-made for contention, suggesting, “JT should be for a contender trying to go over the top.”
However, fans took a different stance for myriad reasons. For a player who has ranked twice at the pole position on PFN’s NFL Running Back Impact metrics, the upside of adding Taylor was undeniable. But Harbaugh’s timeline also changed the stakes for the Giants.
“I think you’re forgetting John Harbaugh is 64 years old, which naturally accelerates the Giants’ schedule,” one fan pointed out. “Realistically, the window to win is the next 2-3 years, which Taylor fits into.”
Another fan, though, was scarred by his franchise’s history, arguing, “Remember the ‘ahead of schedule’ 2022 Giants. Future looked bright. Daboll/Schoen were superstars. Next 3 years were trash. Stop worrying so much about draft picks. Add good players.”
But even beyond the long-term vision, some fans were perplexed by the train of thought dissuading the Giants from the move. For a team that was at the top of their division at 4-2-1 with their star quarterback out since Week 2, a major upgrade in the ground game would be huge.
“Why are people acting as if we’re not an insanely better team if we have a respectable run game,” one fan questioned, as another fan added, “They would have him for several seasons and Taylor, Nabers, and Likely would be one of the best trios of skill players in the NFL.”
Others, too, were frothing at the talent that the Giants could have at their disposal if they pulled off such a move. To that end, some fans weren’t inclined for a long-term vision, claiming that the NFL wasn’t built for that line of thinking.
Nabers is currently under contract through 2027, though the Giants hold a fifth-year option for 2028.
“Painfully awful take. You never know what the future holds, especially in a sport with as much injury risk as the NFL,”one fan argued. “Foolish to be writing checks for future seasons, and not capitalizing on what’s right in front of you.”
But for those who saw a long-term idea for this version of the Giants, Taylor wasn’t a one-year bargaining chip, asone fan claimed, “He’s not a rental. Next year, they should be real contenders.”
For some fans, though, it all depended on what the franchise wanted from this season. Firmly in the thick of the playoff race, their current offensive structure wasn’t entirely sustainable throughout the year.
And with two young quarterbacks already in the organization, adding another young quarterback wouldn’t make much sense. As a result, for one fan, it was a simple matter of not giving up on the 2026 season entirely.
“If you’re afraid to pull the trigger here, you might as well go home at the mid-season mark,”the fan argued. “Unless they’re trading for a premier talent at QB, there’s no reason not to overspend. Rent a top running back for 3 years, it’s fine.”
It remains to be seen how the trade saga for Taylor shakes out before the Nov. 10 trade deadline. But for the time being, it’s clear that plenty of Giants fans are on board with the team potentially making a move for him.