Jonathan Taylor's Top Potential Landing Spots After RB Requests Trade from Colts

The offseason of star running back drama continued Saturday night as Jonathan Taylor requested a trade from the Indianapolis Colts.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the All-Pro rusher made the request shortly after a meeting with team owner Jim Irsay during training camp. There has been increased tension between the two sides as Taylor has yet to be offered a contract extension entering the final season of his rookie deal.

Taylor, 24, is owed $4.3 million next season and will be a free agent in 2024.

Leading the league in rushing in 2021 with 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns, Taylor is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he missed six games. Regardless, he'll be a huge boost to any team that manages to acquire him.

Here are some potential landing spots that could be good fits for the fourth-year back.

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Chicago Bears

If there's any team that could potentially afford to give Taylor an extension in the range of what he may be looking for, it's the Bears.

Chicago still has plenty of money to work with as it has nearly $28 million in cap space, per Spotrac. So, they may be willing to splurge a little more to add one of the elite offensive talents in the sport.

Additionally, Taylor would thrive in Chicago's offense that led the league in rushing last season with 177.3 yards per game while taking some of the pressure off Justin Fields' legs following a breakout campaign.

After losing David Montgomery in free agency, the Bears have a couple of talented but mostly unproven players at running back in Khalil Herbert and D'Onta Foreman. Taylor would be an immediate upgrade over either of them.

With their addition of D.J. Moore earlier in the offseason, bringing in Taylor would only help grow one of the most exciting, young offensive units in the league.

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Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins certainly haven't been shy about wanting to acquire another running back ahead of next season.

The organization reportedly has a standing offer for free agent Dalvin Cook—though it doesn't appear to meet his expectations. They also tried to trade for New York Giants superstar Saquon Barkley, according to the New York Post's Ryan Dunleavy, Giants' general manager Joe Schoen denied those rumors.

Acquiring Taylor is a prime opportunity to get a young, elite talent who won't immediately be expensive and who will compliment the rest of its offensive arsenal that already includes Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Tua Tagovailoa.

Miami ranked towards the bottom of the league last season in rushing despite having a healthy stable of running backs that includes Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.

It averaged 99.2 yards per game on the ground.

Imagining Taylor in coach Mike McDaniel's wide-zone running scheme is a scary thought.

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Buffalo Bills

The Bills are an elite running back away from getting over the hump in the AFC.

Losing to the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals in back-to-back seasons, Buffalo has at times been too heavily reliant on superstar quarterback Josh Allen and its passing game, throwing off its offensive balance.

Taylor could change all of that very quickly.

Devin Singletary was the team's leading rusher last season with 819 yards and was closely followed by Allen, who had 762. Taylor could immediately become the workhorse of a backfield that has so often worked by committee.

Taylor would take some of the rushing responsibility away from Allen and keep him from taking some devastating hits. And with the recent loss of Nyheim Hines, the Bills may be in the running back market more than ever before.

Second-year back James Cook is currently slotted as the starter on the depth chart and is followed by Damien Harris and Latavius Murray.

Adding Taylor would be bad news for the rest of the contenders in the AFC.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

No team in the NFL struggled more to get the run game going last season than the Buccaneers, who finished dead-last in the league, averaging 76.9 yards per game.

And with the release of Leonard Fournette earlier this offseason, it's extremely possible that things won't get all that better in 2023 for Baker Mayfield and Co.

Unless they add a bonafide star like Taylor.

In life post Tom Brady, Tampa Bay is set to begin with Mayfield as the team's starting signal caller following a rough couple of years. Having a security blanket like Taylor in the backfield will be a huge step in helping Mayfield and the rest of the offense gain more confidence.

Rachaad White had an impressive rookie season with his ability in the passing game as well as on the ground, but he's still relatively unproven and may need another season or two in a backup role before he's ready to take over as a leading man.

Taylor may be the best solution to making the Buccaneers serious playoff contenders again.