The Colts didn’t just make trades at the deadline. They made a clear decision about where this thing is headed.
By moving out several established starters and stockpiling future draft capital, Indianapolis has set itself up for a reset that has to be done with purpose. The front office now has a chance to use those picks to build around Jonathan Taylor and Daniel Jones when the team is ready to push again. With holes across the offensive line, defensive front and receiver room, the 2027 NFL Draft suddenly matters a lot more.
That urgency traces straight back to a rough 2026 season. Through nine weeks, the Colts are 2-7, a start that has crushed the playoff hopes they carried into the year.
The passing game has been a major problem, injuries have hit perimeter weapons like Alec Pierce, and late-game breakdowns have piled up. In October, the team moved on from general manager Chris Ballard, and assistant general manager Ed Dodds has taken over on an interim basis.
Rather than keep veterans on expiring deals, Indianapolis dealt Quenton Nelson, DeForest Buckner, Keenan Allen and Josh Downs. Those four moves brought back six picks while sending one away, leaving the Colts with 10 picks in 2027, none in the first round, and eight in 2028.
If the Colts are going to make the most of that haul, the offensive line has to be part of the plan. Trading Nelson leaves a void that can’t be brushed aside, and Iowa’s Kade Pieper looks like a name that should be on the team’s board. The Hawkeyes lineman fits the kind of physical identity Indianapolis should be chasing.
Pieper plays with leverage, holds up against power and shows the kind of technical discipline teams want in both pass protection and the run game. That matters for an offense built around Taylor.
The Colts need blockers who can create movement early and keep Jones upright when he drops back. Pieper wouldn’t walk in and match Nelson’s leadership or All-Pro level production, but he could become a dependable, cost-controlled piece on the interior.
The defense has its own big hole to fill after Buckner’s exit, and Tennessee tackle Xavier Gilliam is the kind of prospect who could help patch it. Buckner’s ability to command attention and wreck plays from the inside was central to what Indianapolis wanted to be defensively, and Gilliam brings some of that interior disruption potential.
At more than 300 pounds, Gilliam has the size to hold his ground, and his first-step burst gives him a chance to get into gaps before protection settles. He can shed blocks and work laterally, which would give the Colts a different kind of presence up front.
Paired with Laiatu Latu, he could help form a pressure plan with multiple layers - Latu off the edge, Gilliam pushing from the middle. He has been mocked anywhere from the teens to the 30s, so it’ll be interesting if the Colts can indeed land him in the second round.
Then there’s the swing-for-the-fences option at receiver. Becker can go as high as the top-10, which means Indianapolis would likely need to trade up if it wanted him. That would require another round of calls and maneuvering, but the fit is obvious enough to make the idea worth watching.
With Downs and Allen gone, the Colts’ receiver group needs a serious overhaul. Pierce remains a vertical threat when healthy, but Indianapolis still needs another outside target who can win contested throws and do more than live off the occasional deep ball.
Becker checks those boxes. At 6-foot-4, he gives Jones a big target, offers strong ball skills and can stretch coverage downfield.
He wouldn’t need to carry the passing game right away, but he could work alongside Pierce and give defenses another reason not to crowd the box against Taylor.
The Colts have already admitted this season isn’t about chasing a playoff spot. The deadline moves made that plain.
Now the challenge is turning draft capital into real building blocks. Pieper could help steady the offensive line.
Gilliam could bring back interior pressure. Becker could add a much-needed weapon to the passing game.
There’s still a lot of work ahead, but those three prospects give Indianapolis a sensible place to start.
In Other News...
Colts Just Sent Another Clear Signal About What Comes Next
The Colts latest move fits the direction they have been signaling for a while now, as the front office continues to part with players on expiring contracts and lean into what looks like a broader reset. Keenan Allen is the latest name to go, another veteran piece moved out as Indianapolis shifts its attention toward what comes next rather than trying to squeeze short-term value out of the current roster.
Allens season in Indianapolis was productive enough to draw interest, with the veteran receiver still showing he could help a contender. For a Colts team expected to rebuild, the decision is less about what he brought on the field than what his departure says about the bigger picture, and it leaves one more reminder that this roster is being reshaped with an eye on the future. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Trade Deadline Left One Big Debate Fans Cant Ignore
The trade deadline came and went with Indianapolis doing what plenty of teams do when the market does not line up with the asking price: moving out a few pieces and collecting future draft capital. The Colts deadline work was light on splash and heavy on patience, with the front office choosing to think more about what the roster could look like down the road than about making a short-term statement.
What makes the whole exercise linger is the bigger picture around the franchise. A new general manager is expected by 2027, and a possible coaching change could follow, which means these picks may matter more for the next regime than the current one. For fans, the real debate is not just what Indianapolis got back, but whether the team did enough to stay flexible while still leaving its most important names in place. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Were Right To Hold Grover Stewart For This Reason
The Colts decision to keep Grover Stewart at the 2026 trade deadline makes a lot more sense once the details of the rumored offer come into focus. A social media report had suggested Indianapolis passed on draft-pick compensation for the veteran defensive lineman, but the broader picture points to a much less dramatic proposal than it first appeared.
Instead of a clean return for Stewart, the reported framework was closer to a late-round pick exchange, with Indianapolis also sending out a selection. From the Colts perspective, that is a very different calculation for a player who still fits into the teams rebuild and remains worth more than a marginal swap on the draft board. [Read more 🡒]