Since getting drafted in 2020, Jonathan Taylor has arguably been the best player on the Indianapolis Colts. He has had another great season on a personal level, but the team’s lack of success is a big concern.
The Colts have now missed the playoffs for four straight seasons, and Pat McAfee, who played eight seasons in Indianapolis, recently called out the team in a lengthy rant on social media after the team’s loss in Week 17. He also came up with an idea of how to fix the team and took shots at Taylor.
Pat McAfee Wants To Trade Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson
In a recent segment on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the former Colts punter listed the players he wants to keep on the team and those he wants to trade immediately. Surprisingly, he chose Taylor and quarterback Anthony Richardson as the two players the franchise should trade to fix the situation.
“I’m gonna go pitch myself as president of the Indianapolis Colts. It’s not that I ever would, but I put a plan together on how you get rid of this entire f****ng roster, except for [Michael Pittman Jr.],” McAfee said.
“I want Pittman here. I want [Alec] Pierce here. Let’s keep Quenton Nelson. Let’s keep DeForest Buckner. Let’s keep Kenny Moore II. I like Kenny Moore II, other than that, see ya; every one of them, goodbye, take a hike, thanks for coming.”
McAfee added, “Jonathan Taylor, trade his f*****g a** out of town. How do we go about doing [it]? You get a second-round pick? Sweet, first would be better. We’ll do this for the good of the program. Anthony Richardson was a good project — get him out of town. Fourth-round [pick] or whatever the hell you got, see ya.”
Getting a bucket load of interactions so here is the video https://t.co/OQ42Qdde3Y pic.twitter.com/gvzhWOeutV
— Brett Foulke (@BrettFoulke) January 2, 2025
Richardson did not play in Week 17 due to a back issue, and his lack of development has been a big issue for the team. The Colts drafted him with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he has completed just 47.7% of his throws in 11 games this season while throwing 12 interceptions.
The Colts have already benched the 22-year-old quarterback once, but he still hasn’t performed at the level the team had hoped for.
As for Taylor, he is still among the best players at his position in the league. In 13 games this season, he has rushed for 1,254 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry, and also has 17 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.
The star running back is under contract until 2027, and if the Colts trade him, they could get a decent return. However, given the uncertainty around the team’s quarterback position, the AFC South franchise would oppose McAfee’s suggestion and keep Taylor for the foreseeable future.
He made a big mistake in the Week 15 game against the Denver Broncos that might have cost the team a playoff berth, but he is still quite important for the team.
Colts Could Make Major Changes in the Offseason
While parting ways with Taylor and Richardson won’t be ideal, Colts owner Jim Irsay must make significant changes in the upcoming offseason. Head coach Shane Steichen is undoubtedly under pressure as he hasn’t done well in developing the quarterback he drafted after joining the franchise.
General manager Chris Ballard may be the most likely person to lose his job. He is finishing his eighth season with the franchise, and the team is 61-69-1 under his tenure. The Colts have also failed to win a single division title since he took over, and the franchise has employed three different head coaches since then.
The Colts last won the division in 2014 and will finish this season under .500 in 2024. The AFC South is one of the weakest divisions in the league, so Irsay must act faster to make changes to improve the team.
It’s still early for the franchise to give up on Richardson completely, but they should bring another quality quarterback next season to compete with him. Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins are two names that should be worth consideration for the Colts, as they not only can help in Richardson’s development but will also be an upgrade over Joe Flacco if they get an opportunity to play.