The Indianapolis Colts have officially kicked off their fire sale, as they traded away a pair of stars in offensive lineman Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on Tuesday. Losing both guys will hurt the Colts in the present, and it appears as if they aren’t done making moves just yet either.
Seeing Nelson get dealt to the Seattle Seahawks was somewhat jarring, as it was the first of these two trades, which indicated the team’s plan moving forward. While it ultimately wasn’t a major surprise to see Nelson get flipped since he was in the final year of his contract, one insider believes that Indianapolis misplayed its hand with the All-Pro offensive lineman.
Insider Issues Eye-Opening Take on Colts’ Quenton Nelson Trade
The Colts entered the 2026 campaign knowing that this was a make-or-break year for them. After racing out to a hot start last year, Indianapolis faltered due to a bevy of injuries. The belief, however, was that this team could bounce back if it could keep everyone healthy, but to this point, that hasn’t happened.
We already saw general manager Chris Ballard get fired, which was the first sign that big changes were on the way. Nelson’s contract status made him an obvious trade candidate, and sure enough, the eight-time Pro Bowler was flipped to the Seahawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
Over the offseason, Indy appeared to be closing in on a contract extension with Nelson that would have resulted in this trade never coming to fruition. Instead, the two sides couldn’t find common ground, with NFL insider Ian Rapoport revealing that Nelson wanted to stay with the Colts in the wake of his trade to the Seahawks.
“Yeah, that is true. They had talks before camp,” Rapoport said on “The Pat McAfee Show” when asked if Nelson was willing to sign a contract extension with the Colts. “I really thought it was going to get done, and then it just never got there.”
What’s Next for the Colts After Quenton Nelson Trade?
It may seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but in a perfect world, the Colts obviously would have traded Nelson. He’s been a key cog for this team since his arrival in the pros in 2018, and even as he’s gotten older, he’s remained arguably the best interior offensive lineman in the league. Losing him is a huge blow, even when accounting for the draft capital the team picked up.
Buckner quickly followed Nelson out the exit door, and it seems like more guys, such as Josh Downs and maybe even Jonathan Taylor, could also be finding new homes in the near future. In the meantime, Indy will try to find a way to get back in the win column in Week 8, but with a tough matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the horizon, accomplishing that goal is going to be easier said than done.
Insider Gets Brutally Honest on Colts’ Quenton Nelson Trade