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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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ESPN star Stephen A. Smith slammed the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday morning for failing to trade star running back Jonathan Taylor before the NFL trade deadline.
The 27-year-old three-time Pro Bowler was among the biggest names mentioned in trade speculation ahead of the deadline. Despite the Colts making other big trades, including sending wide receiver Keenan Allen to the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Josh Downs to the Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor stayed in Indianapolis amid the team's struggles to win games.
Smith blasted the organization on "First Take" for keeping Taylor in Indianapolis rather than allowing him to flourish elsewhere in the NFL.
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"This is his seventh season. You've done nothing, you've gone nowhere, and you just traded four veterans, so clearly you're moving in a different direction," Smith said of the Colts. "Your GM's going. Your coach is about to be gone, and obviously some of your veterans — most of your veterans are gone.
"Had you not traded those dudes, I would feel differently ... Why keep [Jonathan Taylor]? ... There are better situations to be in, and they should've put him in one," the ESPN star said about Indianapolis not trading Taylor.
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According to Smith, the Colts are clearly in a rebuilding phase, and Taylor is stuck there in what Smith called a "pathetic purgatory-style situation." He indicated Taylor "deserves to be in a better situation" due to how he's performed while healthy for the Colts.
The ESPN star also took issue with Indianapolis trading four other players to teams that appear to be legitimate contenders. While Downs went to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Colts traded Allen and tackle DeForest Buckner to the 49ers. In addition, left guard Quenton Nelson was traded to the Seattle Seahawks.
All of those teams have a chance to contend for their division, a playoff spot, and potentially the Super Bowl, depending on how the rest of their seasons fare.
"How come you couldn't let [Taylor] go someplace better?" Smith said, sounding off, telling his co-stars, "I assure you he wasn't clamoring to stay in Indianapolis."
This season, the Colts' star running back has tallied 656 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 161 carries. In addition to Taylor, the Colts also kept Daniel Jones as quarterback, despite speculation that he might be on the move to another team before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.
Both players remain with a Colts team that is 2-7 so far this season and is currently second in the AFC South, with only the 1-7 Tennessee Titans below them in the division.
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