The Indianapolis Colts are a bit of a mess right now. After suffering an ugly 26-20 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans in Week 6, the Colts promptly fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard, and the overarching message seemed to be that if things didn’t get turned around soon, more changes would be coming.
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, Indianapolis has suddenly become one of the more intriguing teams in the league, as it could suddenly decide to take a seller’s approach. One guy who has seen his name pop up in trade rumors recently is star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, and he recently made his thoughts very clear on his future with the Colts.
DeForest Buckner Addresses Colts Trade Rumors
Buckner is in his seventh season with the Colts, and while he has been hampered by injuries in recent years, he remains one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league when he is healthy and on the field. Through six games this year, Buckner has been one of Indy’s better players, as he has 26 tackles, four sacks, and three pass breakups to his name.
During his time in town, though, Buckner hasn’t experienced much success at the team level with Indianapolis, and it is becoming clear that his frustrations are rising. After losing to the Titans, Buckner made some pointed comments that made it seem like he would be OK with getting traded to a true playoff contender.
The Colts could conceivably still turn things around, but firing Ballard is an admission that things need to change. Teams across the league have perked up at the prospect of potentially trading for Buckner, and with his name popping up in trade rumors, he made some interesting comments when discussing his future in Indianapolis.
“Buck is avoiding speculation about (a) possible trade. But he emphasized he wants to play ‘winning football … I have no regrets coming to Indy,'” Mike Chappell of FOX59 shared in a post on X.
Should the Colts Trade DeForest Buckner?
Whether or not Indy wants to conduct the sort of fire sale that would result in Buckner landing with a new team is unknown. What is clear, though, is that if Buckner were to be up for grabs, he’d be one of the top trade candidates in the league. Even as he approaches the backend of his career, Buckner has remained very productive, which makes him a desirable target for playoff contenders.
Simply put, the Colts may be headed in a direction that Buckner doesn’t like, and if the two sides aren’t seeing eye to eye, a trade may be the best outcome for all parties involved. Indianapolis is going to try to salvage things by getting back in the win column in Week 7, but a daunting matchup against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings is going to make accomplishing that easier said than done.
DeForest Buckner Sends Strong Message on Colts Trade Rumors