The Bengals continue to be tied to Jonathan Taylor trade talks ahead of the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline next Tuesday. FOX Sports insider Jordan Schultz appeared on The Pivot podcast this week and noted Cincinnati is among a group of teams in "hot pursuit" of Jonathan Taylor.

The Colts star running back is on a sinking ship in Indianapolis right now, and Schultz laid out the potential price tag below.

"My understanding is that five to six teams have been aggressively pursuing him: Giants, Packers, Broncos, Seahawks, Bengals, Vikings," Schultz said about Taylor. "I believe he also would be open to a fresh start, and I think it'll take at least a second-round pick plus call it plus additional compensation to get it done. And I actually do expect that to happen."

Schultz also broke down what a player like wide receiver Josh Downs could go for at the deadline.

Either weapon could be a nice way to supercharge Cincinnati's offense. It ranks sixth in EPA/play this season among NFL attacks and second in success rate.

Taylor or Downs would likely round out the best overall offense in the NFL.

"Then you have Josh Downs. Now the Colts want a third-round pick for him, but I think ultimately they'll probably get a fourth. He's very valuable in the receiving game.I would say keep an eye on the Steelers, Chiefs, and Commanders, among others, and then don't be surprised if other teams that we haven't even considered yet, because he's valuable and he's set to become a free agent," Schultz noted about Downs. "But you have the Colts, really, big picture-wise. They have officially entered a full-on rebuild, and when you talk about stockpiling draft picks, clearing cap space, reducing financial commitments to give their GM really maximum flexibility."

If the Titans game is any indication, Cincinnati needs to get help at cornerback, linebacker, or safety ahead of the deadline. Why not multiple trades? The team has eight draft picks next year and a clear runway to the No. 1 seed in the conference given the schedule difficulty.

Taylor's price right now may not make much sense to build strength on strength.

The time is now to make a move, and Cincinnati is clearly interested. Taylor is posting 4.1 yards per carry this season (26th among RBs), with eight touchdowns (second).

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