Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been given permission to seek a trade by the team

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has been given permission to seek a trade by the team. The former second-round pick requested the trade after a meeting with Colts owner Jim Irsay and has spent the entirety of the preseason on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing ankle surgery. The crux of the matter relates to Taylor’s contract situation. He is entering the final year of his four-year rookie deal, and with the ongoing devaluation of the running back position in today's pass-first NFL, a lucrative future isn't certain. Indianapolis had not yet engaged Taylor in contract extension talks when he requested a trade.

Several player personnel executives have been informed of Taylor's availability via trade, but the Colts are expected to want more than the San Francisco 49ers received from the Carolina Panthers for Christian McCaffrey, which was second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-round selections. So, initiating a trade won't come easy for Taylor and Co.

Here are four potential suitors for Taylor:

Miami Dolphins: Miami is in win-now mode and still has a place to add a lead back in what would become a rather deep position group. Adding Taylor would elevate this group and round out an offense that's already expected to be explosive.

Chicago Bears: The Bears have ample draft capital to get a deal done. They lack a bell cow of a runner following David Montgomery's move to Detroit. Taylor would join a team looking toward the future and bestow them with a running back who is in his prime.

Las Vegas Raiders: Josh Jacobs, the reigning NFL rushing champ, still hasn't signed his franchise tag and hasn't yet reported to the team's facility to start preparing for the 2023 season. A fresh start for both Taylor and Jacobs might be exactly what they need.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A future without Tom Brady pales in comparison to the past three years, and even if Baker Mayfield plays above expectation, it's still not going to be as good as it was with Brady. Adding Taylor into the mix would significantly improve the offense and balance its strengths, giving the Buccaneers more than a fighting chance to compete in a wide-open NFC South.

While a trade won't come easy for Taylor and his potential suitors, it is clear that he is a talented player who could make a significant impact for any team that lands him. Only time will tell where he ultimately ends up.