Colts reportedly turned down second-round picks to keep RB Jonathan Taylor

The Indianapolis Colts were aggressive sellers at the trade deadline.

But the most prominent potential trade piece on their roster is staying put. Per NFL Insider Tom Pelissero , the Colts declined to trade three-time Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

Per the report, Indianapolis turned down multiple offers of second-round picks to keep Taylor in a Colts uniform. The Colts would have only considered a "blockbuster" return to part with Taylor, according to the report.

It's a curious decision for a team that's given up on the season and faces what looks like a long road back to relevance.

Taylor has been one of the league's most reliable and productive backs throughout his seven-season NFL career. At 27 years old — toward the end of the traditional running-back prime — he's a potential difference-maker for a team seeking to compete for a championship now. The Colts are not that and don't project to be anytime soon.

But Taylor has been the face of the Colts through most of his career and is a fan favorite. That holds value in Indianapolis, so much that the Colts reportedly turned down multiple reasonable offers that would have provided a valuable asset to build for the future.

Fire sale after Chris Ballard's dismissal

Amid the failures of extending Daniel Jones and trading two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner, the Colts fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard in October after a 2-4 start. This triggered a fire sale in Indianapolis that featured the trades of All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and former Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on the same day on Oct. 27.

Indianapolis continued its roster purge Tuesday with the trade of wide receiver Keenan Allen to the 49ers as the trade deadline approached. Hours later, the Colts reportedly agreed to trade wide receiver Josh Downs to the Chiefs.

But Taylor is reportedly staying put alongside Jones on an offense that looks little like it did when the Colts started the season with hopes of competing for the playoffs.