Chris Ballard’s time in Indianapolis is over.
He might soon not be the only one departing the Colts.
There’s a suggestion on Monday that a whirlwind of change might be coming to Indy, and that could mean trades of players sooner rather than later.
This is what ESPN’s Stephen Holder posted on X after the Ballard firing:
“Firing your GM and not a coach (or coaches) strongly suggests we might be headed for a fire sale here. It was going to happen eventually, but doing it now is a deliberate choice, as Carlie Irsay-Gordon said in her statement.”
The Colts will obviously need to get their front office decision makers in line, but once that happens, this could be a chance for Indianapolis to start resetting things.
Indy doesn’t actually have its own first-round pick this year (traded to Jets for Sauce Gardner), so a total tank might not be in the cards. But some trades could still make sense.
Anthony Richardson Trade Looms
The most obvious trade would be of the backup quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Ballard chose him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but it clearly hasn’t worked out.
Richardson is now in the fourth and final season of his rookie contract, and if the Colts don’t plan on signing him back for next season, it would make sense to get something in return for him, even if it’s just a late-round pick.
Ballard backed Richardson to some extent in the preseason, basically pushing back on the idea that a trade was looming.
But now with no Ballard in place, a Richardson trade might make more sense.
DeForest Buckner Contract
The veteran defensive lineman DeForest Buckner is on the last year of his current contract. That could make him a trade candidate.
The Colts wouldn’t necessarily rush to move Buckner. If they turn their season around, he’d make sense to keep around.
But if things keep declining in Indy, Buckner would look very appealing to a contender.
Charvarius Ward Future
The veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward isn’t on an expiring contract. His deal runs through the 2027 season.
But as a veteran player with an injury history, Ward isn’t necessarily the most logical guy to keep around if this does start to look more like a rebuild.
Other teams would likely appreciate the chance to add secondary depth, as long as Ward can stay healthy in the meantime. And it would be a chance for Indianapolis to rely on its younger secondary players in the second half of this season.
3 Trade Candidates for Colts ‘Fire Sale’ After GM Chris Ballard Firing