The Colts’ next few weeks could decide whether they hold onto key pieces or start listening on trade offers before the Nov. 10 deadline.
With Indianapolis sitting at 2-4 and coming off the firing of GM Chris Ballard, Ian Rapoport said on the Pat McAfee Show that the team still has time to sort out its direction. He framed it as a short runway for Shane Steichen to show whether this group can get rolling.
"The Colts have a couple more games before they have to make the decision, like, do we trade these guys?" Rapoport said on the Pat McAfee Show.
"They want to give Shane Steichen the opportunity to see if he can win games. If they win two, it's like okay, we're in the mix, it's still out there, we'll see what happens.
If they lose two then it's like, alright, we probably know which way the season is going, let's capitalize on some of these really good assets and trade some guys."
The schedule is not doing Indianapolis any favors. The Colts’ next two games are road trips against the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings and the 4-2 Jacksonville Jaguars, a stretch that could push the team in either direction before the deadline arrives.
Rapoport said a full-blown fire sale is rare, but he pointed to a recent example as proof it can happen.
"You almost never see a fire sale ever," Rapoport added. "This does remind me maybe of the Ron Rivera Commanders from three years ago, where they traded, I believe it was Montez Sweat and Chase Young in the same day. So it is possible that we've seen it."
If Indianapolis does decide to move veterans, Rapoport named DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson, and Jonathan Taylor as possible trade candidates. Grover Stewart was another player he mentioned.
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