Packers GM responds to trade report about Colts' Jonathan Taylor

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst understandably revealed little Wednesday about his club's reported pursuit of Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. 

"We have conversations about players throughout the National Football League — players on our team, on other teams — all the time," Gutekunst explained during a Wednesday news conference, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "People ask about our guys all the time. That’s just part of it. I can’t be running to worry about what our players think every time somebody calls and asks us because it might get out into the media. I’m not really too concerned with that." 

Taylor is entering the final season of his rookie contract and remained with the Colts through Tuesday's roster-cutdown deadline even though he wanted to be traded to a team that ideally would lock him down via a new deal. The 24-year-old who led the NFL for the 2021 regular season with 1,811 rushing yards is on track to miss at least the first four games of the upcoming campaign while on the physically unable to perform list.

ESPN's Stephen Holder and Rob Demovsky reported Wednesday morning that the Packers "were in talks with the Colts and had legitimate interest in trading for" Taylor. Green Bay presumably could still make a move for the one-time First-Team All-Pro before the Oct. 31 trade deadline. 

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport (h/t Kevin Patra) reported in February that veteran running back Aaron Jones accepted a pay cut to remain with the Packers for the 2023 season. Backup A.J. Dillon is in the final year of his rookie deal, but Gutekunst insisted Wednesday that Dillon is "part of this team and he was going to be regardless" of any trade discussions. 

"...There’s some young faces on offense but we’re expecting guys like Aaron and A.J. kind of being the leaders in there to carry it," Gutekunst added.

While new Green Bay starting quarterback Jordan Love entered the league as a 2020 first-round draft pick, he has only attempted 83 career regular-season passes heading into September. Adding Taylor to the backfield would make life easier for Love, but it's unclear if the Packers would meet the ball-carrier's contract demands ahead of the offseason.