The Green Bay Packers have already been connected to the Indianapolis Colts in trade discussions, but a new proposal suggests they could land defensive line help for considerably less than previously reported.
Green Bay is 4-3 after Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, and injuries have continued to strain its interior defense. With the NFL trade deadline approaching, one analyst believes a familiar Colts veteran could help the Packers address a weakness that matters in the NFC playoff race.
Packers Get Seventh-Round Grover Stewart Trade Proposal
In an Oct. 29 article examining 10 hypothetical deals that could “swing the Super Bowl race,” The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen proposed sending Indianapolis defensive tackle Grover Stewart to Green Bay for a seventh-round pick.
Nguyen pointed directly to the Packers’ struggles stopping the run and the importance of adding help to coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s defensive front.
“The Packers rank 25th in rushing defensive success and desperately need interior help. Stewart isn’t the sexiest name, but he can add some beef to the interior of Jonathan Gannon’s 3-4 scheme and help against the run. The 33-year-old can line up in all three of the interior spots. While the Packers will get a shot in the arm when Micah Parsons returns, you have to earn the right to rush the passer by stopping the run on early downs. In the NFC North with the Lions and Bears, you can never have enough run-stoppers,” Nguyen wrote.
Stewart has spent his entire NFL career with Indianapolis after being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft. A run-first interior defender, he has 22 tackles and half a sack in seven games this season.
The proposed return is especially notable considering earlier reports about Green Bay’s interest.
Last week, Packer Report’s Easton Butler said the Packers had called Indianapolis about Stewart and DeForest Buckner, with the Colts seeking a fourth-round pick for Stewart. Nguyen’s seventh-round proposal represents a far smaller investment, although there is no indication Indianapolis would accept it.
Packers Would Still Face Financial Hurdle in Grover Stewart Trade
The Colts have already traded Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round selection and sent guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks for two future picks. Those moves have raised questions about which other Indianapolis veterans might be available.
Stewart, 33, is in the final year of a three-year, $39 million contract and is scheduled to become a free agent after the season. His 2026 cap charge with Indianapolis is $14.25 million, though that full figure would not transfer to an acquiring team.
The financial side remains a concern for Green Bay. Packers cap analyst Ken Ingalls previously warned that the team would need to restructure contracts or persuade the Colts to absorb part of the money to complete a trade for Stewart or Buckner.
Those earlier salary cap concerns make clear that a seventh-round price alone wouldn’t settle the issue.
The Packers have placed defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Ford on injured reserve, while Warren Brinson has also been sidelined. Stewart would bring experience to a thin rotation alongside Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks.
Nguyen also pointed to Parsons’ eventual return as a reason to strengthen the run defense now. The Packers have played without the star edge rusher while he recovers from knee surgery, leaving Gannon to manage a depleted defensive front.
For a Green Bay team fighting to keep pace with Detroit and Chicago, the idea offers a modest draft-pick cost. Whether Indianapolis would accept that return and help make the finances work are separate questions before the Nov. 10 deadline.
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