Packers were among teams vying to make move for Colts' Jonathan Taylor, per report

An unlikely contender for Jonathan Taylor's services emerged – and it's not too far from his current stomping grounds.

A day after the Indianapolis Colts announced their star running back would be part of their final 53-man roster after their self-imposed trade deadline came and went, ESPN reported Wednesday that the Green Bay Packers were in talks to trade for him.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst refused to confirm or deny his team's involvement in discussions regarding acquiring Taylor.

“I can’t talk about players on other teams," Gutekunst said in a news conference Wednesday. "We try to be in every conversation.”

The Miami Dolphins were also reported to be in talks with the Colts to make a deal for Taylor, who requested a trade in July after Indianapolis did not give him an extension on his rookie deal. Colts owner Jim Irsay initially said he would not consider dealing Taylor, but the team appeared to soften its stance last week with reports saying the Colts were seeking a first-round pick or equivalent for the 2021 season's leading rusher.

PLAY TO WIN $10K: USA TODAY's Pro Football Survivor Pool is free to enter. Sign up now!

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier acknowledged Wednesday that he had discussed Taylor in an "exploratory" sense with the Colts, but he maintained that neither side ever presented an offer.

“In terms of being close, there was nothing really close," Grier said in a news conference.

Taylor will start the season on the physically unable to perform list and miss at least four games as he recovers from a high ankle sprain for which he underwent surgery. The Colts can still trade him up until the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

NEVER MISS A SNAP:Sign up to get the latest NFL news and features sent directly to your inbox

The Packers, Aaron Rodgers-less for the first time in nearly two decades, will turn to quarterback Jordan Love to lead them back to the playoffs. They missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2018.

During the 2022 campaign, the Packers were 15th in the league with 2,113 rushing yards. Their top running back was Aaron Jones, who had his third 1,000-yard season with 1,121 yards. Green Bay drafted Jones in 2017 and he's been the go-to starter since 2019, when he scored a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns. He went to his lone Pro Bowl in 2020.

Aside from Jones, the Packers have two other running backs on their final 53-man roster — AJ Dillon, who added 770 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground last year, and undrafted rookie Emanuel Wilson.