The Indianapolis Colts have signaled that they are open for business ahead of the trade deadline this week by unloading a pair of All-Pro players, offensive lineman Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, in trades earlier this week. That may only be the tip of the iceberg, as there are a handful of players on the roster that are still drawing trade interest from teams across the league.
One of the more overlooked trade candidates on Indy’s roster is defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore. With defensive linemen across the league getting flipped, Adebawore has quickly become one of the more enticing players potentially available at his position. In a surprise twist, though, a new report indicates that the Colts aren’t interested in trading Adebawore.
Colts Shut Down Adetomiwa Adebawore Trade Rumors
Adebawore was selected by the Colts in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he has gradually become an important piece on defense for this team. After initially beginning his career as a defensive end, Adebawore has been used more as a defensive tackle in recent years, and that seems to have unlocked things for him.
While he’s only started one game so far this year, Adebawore has made an impact for Indianapolis, as he’s racked up 17 tackles and four sacks (which already matches his career high). With Buckner no longer factoring into the equation on defense, it seems like Adebawore’s role is set to increase moving forward.
The exception, of course, would be if the Colts were to trade Adebawore, which certainly seemed like a possibility given that he is in the final year of his contract. However, it doesn’t sound like the team is interested in doing that, as reports have emerged indicating that Indianapolis is going to hang onto Adebawore past the trade deadline.
“I spoke to two teams today that talked to the Colts about DT Adetomiwa (Adebawore) and were told he’s staying put,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “Indy sees him as a big part of the picture moving forward. Surely that means working to extend him before he hits the FA market after the season.”
Colts Turn Attention to Adetomiwa Adebawore’s Contract Situation
The Colts obviously want to get whatever sort of draft capital they can for players who aren’t a part of their long-term future, but it looks like Adebawore is one of the exceptions. Indy obviously has to take care of his contract situation if he stays in town, but with fewer big-name players to worry about, the front office should be able to handle that.
With so much action taking place over the past few days, it’s tough to remember that Indianapolis still has a game to play on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was already going to be tough enough for the Colts to win, but now that they are shedding talented players at a high rate, that’s going to make pulling off an upset even more difficult. Kickoff for this divisional matchup is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 1.
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