Colts star Jonathan Taylor draws trade interest from several teams after GM Chris Ballard's firing

Jonathan Taylor could be one of the most talked-about names ahead of the NFL trade deadline. A number of teams would be willing to explore a deal for the Indianapolis Colts running back, according to a person familiar with the situation.

It is still not clear whether Indianapolis wants to sell. The Colts are 2-4 and without a general manager after firing Chris Ballard on Monday. Rival clubs are expected to check in on several of the team's top players before the Nov. 10 cutoff.

Taylor has been one of the league's most productive backs. His 89.9 rushing yards per game are the most among active players.

Taylor keeps his focus on the Vikings

Asked Thursday about his future, Taylor would not go there. "I haven't given any thought," he said. He pointed to Sunday's game against Minnesota and said it would be "a discredit and a disservice to my teammates and this whole organization to think about what could, what should, what may be."

Ballard drafted Taylor in 2020 and later gave him two contract extensions. The latest, a three-year deal, came in August.

Taylor is 27. His 8,090 rushing yards since he entered the league trail only Baltimore's Derrick Henry over that span. This season he has run for 492 yards and seven touchdowns in six games.

A big stretch for Indianapolis

The next two weeks could shape what the Colts do. They play Minnesota and then Jacksonville. Those two teams are a combined 9-2.

Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon had told Ballard and coach Shane Steichen that she expected progress after last season's letdown. Bigger changes across the organization are expected once a new general manager is hired.

Other Colts in the trade talk

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, 32, has also come up in trade chatter. He called it "distractions right now" but did not rule anything out. "We'll see," said Buckner, who can become a free agent after the season. "If that happens, we'll see how it goes."

All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson is also playing the last year of his contract. He said Wednesday that he loves Indianapolis and the organization.

Ballard was let go in his 10th season with the team the morning after a home loss to the Tennessee Titans, who had not won a game. The Colts blew a 13-point lead in that game as fans booed and chanted "Fire Ballard!"