Colts' Jonathan Taylor reportedly 'expects to be traded,' as NFL executives help predict his next team

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor declined to say whether or not he wants to land with a team that has a winning record before the NFL trade deadline arrives at 4:00 p.m. ET this coming Tuesday. 

It appears that Taylor believes he won't celebrate Thanksgiving Day later this month as an Indianapolis player. 

Jonathan Taylor believes he's about to be traded

"My understanding is Jonathan Taylor expects to be traded," NFL insider James Palmer said during the Amazon Prime Video pregame show for Thursday night's matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and the Jacksonville Jaguars, per Alex House of ClutchPoints. "We'll see if somebody gets up [to the Colts' high asking price]."

Specifically, the Colts reportedly may want "the equivalent of" a first-round draft pick in return for Taylor. Earlier on Thursday, it was said that "Indianapolis plans to wait until after" this coming Sunday's game against the 3-5 Dallas Cowboys "before revisiting the offers on the table and making the trades that make sense on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the deadline."

On Thursday, Taylor spoke like somebody who expected to play for the Colts against the Cowboys. 

NFL executives seem to think Jonathan Taylor will end up in the NFC

The New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings are among the teams that have repeatedly been linked with Taylor since October. Meanwhile, Ralph Vacchiano and Eric D. Williams of Fox Sports "surveyed people around the league to find out where" Taylor and other players may land before the trade deadline for an article published on Thursday. 

Vacchiano noted that the Giants "badly" want Taylor, as one source told Vacchiano that first-year New York head coach John Harbaugh is "thinking big" with his club at 4-2-1. 

"I think the Giants are going to get him and it’s going to feel like they overpaid, even if they somehow do it without giving up a first-round pick," Vacchiano added about where Taylor could end up. 

Will Jonathan Taylor soon call Minnesota home? 

The Fox Sports story was posted shortly before it was learned that Vikings starting quarterback Kyler Murray is dealing with a hamstring injury that could keep him out of action for multiple games. Backup Carson Wentz will start over Murray when the 6-1 Vikings host the 6-1 Buffalo Bills this coming Monday night. 

"Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is under immense pressure to make (wide receiver) Justin Jefferson happy and the offense work after a so-so performance by Kyler Murray through the first half of the season," Williams wrote about why he thinks Minnesota will trade for Taylor. 

Williams believes that Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley "understands the importance a dynamic runner brings to an offense" and that Minnesota is "the most desperate team playing in the most competitive division in the NFC North." 

That said, the rebuilding Colts could keep Taylor through the trade deadline, as he signed a two-year contract extension this past summer.