ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler: What the Colts Want in Return for RB Jonathan Taylor

Jonathan Taylor is still an Indianapolis Colt for one simple reason: nobody has been willing to pay what the Colts are asking.

Rich asked ESPN's Jeremy Fowler for the scoop on Taylor's trade value and market, and Fowler went straight to the source. "I checked with somebody with the Colts and I was told that interim GM Ed Dodds does not want to trade Jonathan Taylor unless a team is willing to give up more than they should," Fowler said. "And that's sort of the rub right now."

The gap between the two sides is easy to define. According to Fowler, teams he has talked to believe the Colts want the equivalent of a first-round pick in return. Those teams see Taylor as worth something closer to "a second round pick and some change or a two plus."

"So that's sort of the issue," Fowler said. "Is a team willing to go over the top to get this done by Tuesday?"

That deadline matters, and Fowler left the door open for movement. "Once the games are played Sunday, we get to Monday, things could change," he said. "The Colts could certainly soften a little bit."

There are interested parties. Fowler said the New York Giants have been involved to some extent and seem inclined to make some sort of splash, "whether it's with a running back or defensive tackle." The catch is that the Giants are short on mid-round picks moving forward and don't have a ton of draft capital to work with.

The Broncos and the Vikings have also been involved to an extent. "But nobody's been willing to just meet that price and get it over the top right now," Fowler said. "That's why he's still a Colt."

If Indianapolis holds firm and keeps him, Fowler said it wouldn't be ideal, because the Colts are tearing things down. Still, there is an upside. Taylor "is a boon for the next coaching staff," Fowler said, "whether that's Shane Steichen's staff and he remains or it's somebody else."

So the standoff is clear: the Colts want first-round value, the market is offering second-round value plus extras, and the clock runs out Tuesday.