Report: Reps Feel Jonathan Taylor Eyes $14M-$15M AAV Contract amid Colts Trade Rumors

As the Indianapolis Colts continue to search for a trade partner for Jonathan Taylor, we may be getting a better idea of what the disgruntled running back wants in a new contract.

Mike Jones of The Athletic reported "talent evaluators and player representatives" around the league believe Taylor is looking for $14-15 million on an annual basis in a new deal.

Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara are the only NFL running backs whose contracts average more than $12.5 million per season. McCaffrey and Kamara also signed deals three years ago, before the running back market took a significant decline.

Only eight running backs will make more than $10 million this season, half of which are on one-year deals or in the final year of their contract. Kamara is a virtual certainty to have to renegotiate his contract if he wants to remain with the Saints beyond this season, while Aaron Jones had his salary reduced by $5 million for the 2023 campaign to remain in Green Bay.

Taylor's advantage over those veterans comes from the fact he is just 24 years old and still likely has a few years of prime-level production left on his legs. He's compiled 3,841 rushing yards in three seasons and led the NFL in rushing in 2021.

It's unlikely that any team would break the current running back market to pay Taylor, particularly after sending draft compensation to Indianapolis to complete a trade. That said, if Taylor's willing to hang out in the $12-13 million ballpark, he might wind up finding teams more amenable to a long-term deal.