2026 NFL Trade Deadline: Giants Pull Jonathan Taylor Offer
New York Giants coach John Harbaugh withdrew his offer of a second-round pick plus a fifth-rounder for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, but talks may not be over before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. Tennessee's Tony Pollard is a possible fallback.
The New York Giants have pulled their offer for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, but the move may mean little before the 2026 NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. The offer, a second-round draft pick plus a fifth-rounder, had already been rejected before it was withdrawn.
Giants coach and football czar John Harbaugh could still sweeten the package. The Colts could also decide to take it as it stands.
Colts want a McCaffrey-style haul
Indianapolis has made clear what it wants. The Colts are seeking a Christian McCaffrey-type return for Taylor: one pick each in Rounds 2 through 5. No team has met that price yet.
If the Colts simply take the best offer on the table, the Giants could still end up at the top of the list. That holds even if the Colts drop their McCaffrey-related hopes.
Harbaugh has said he wants a sure-thing No. 1 back. He has also said he would only trade for someone who can help beyond this season. Taylor fits both descriptions.
Pollard as a fallback
Harbaugh is surely weighing cheaper options. One is Tony Pollard of the Tennessee Titans, who turns 30 in April and is not under contract past this season. That would keep the price low.
Pollard has 133 carries for 595 yards this season, an average of 4.5 yards per carry. He has six touchdowns and has caught 14 passes for 70 yards.
A deal with the Titans would carry some history. Harbaugh recently went over Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi's head and called owner Amy Adams Strunk about Jeffery Simmons. The Titans would likely set those frustrations aside for a good enough offer, according to the report.
Pollard as a rental has a downside for New York. If he leaves in free agency next offseason, he would count against the Giants' chances of landing a 2028 compensatory pick.
Henry not an option
Another veteran back appears off the table. The Baltimore Ravens seem intent on keeping Derrick Henry, which leaves Harbaugh with fewer alternatives.
The Giants' running back search comes as quarterback J.J. McCarthy's injury raises its own questions in New York. Tuesday's deadline will settle whether Taylor, Pollard or neither ends up in a Giants uniform.
