According to NFL Insider Tom Pelissero, no Indianapolis Colts player is considered “off-limits,” should the franchise choose to become a major seller before the league’s upcoming Tuesday, November 10th, trade deadline and begin what appears to be an inevitable major rebuild regardless:
“The Colts have received strong trade interest in guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner in recent days, and neither player is expected to be off-limits—if they decide to sell before the Nov. 10 trade deadline,” wrote Pelissero in his substack ‘The Sweep’. “That includes the return of Jonathan Taylor, who is also considered the subject of calls over the next two weeks.”
However, the consensus among league insiders seems to be that the team’s ownership, and especially Carlie Irsay-Gordon, wants to give embattled head coach Shane Steichen and this team two weeks to see if they can right the ship, and who knows, maybe firing longtime general manager Chris Ballard can help invigorate the team a bit.
That said, the upcoming schedule before the league’s trade deadline isn’t exactly encouraging, with a road matchup against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (5-0), as well as the AFC South leading Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) next, a road environment in which Indianapolis hasn’t won since 2014.
I think it makes sense (even if it hurts at first!(*hopefully done by the Colts next general manager*), and that is, if the Colts get significant future draft capital in return respectively.
For example, getting a second round pick for Buckner and a fourth rounder for Stewart from an NFL suitor would be great going forward. Even trading veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward (30) for anything in return would likely make sense, if he doesn’t factor into the Colts’ plans after the 2026 season.
The Colts would likely have a harder time trading the homegrown pairing of offensive guard Quenton Nelson or running back Jonathan Taylor without getting at least one future first round pick in exchange for either future franchise Ring of Honor candidate and potential Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Nelson in particular, because of his impeccable technique and fundamentals, can age gracefully into his mid-thirties like other elite offensive guards at his position in history—even if his athleticism and playmaking power are somewhat diminished by father time and added wear and tear.
However, Indianapolis doesn’t have a 2027 first round pick due to last year’s Sauce Gardner trade deadline deal, meaning they may be more motivated to get that kind of ‘Day 1’ pick back than they normally would.
In any case, this is a situation worth monitoring over the next two weeks or so.