The Indianapolis Colts may not be done reshaping their roster after a wild Tuesday that sent two of the franchise’s biggest names elsewhere.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz hinted that more could be coming before the trade deadline, posting, “The #Colts may not be done yet either…”
That message came just after Indianapolis completed a pair of major deals following its 16-10 Week 7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. First, the Colts dealt All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. In return, Indianapolis received a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round selection.
Nelson’s exit marks the end of an era on the Colts’ offensive line. He had been one of the team’s central figures since Indianapolis picked him sixth overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. A seven-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro, Nelson was a fixture up front for years.
Later in the day, the Colts sent three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The move sends Buckner back to the team where he started his NFL career.
Buckner originally landed in Indianapolis in 2020, when the Colts acquired him from San Francisco in exchange for a first-round selection.
The pair of trades signals a major pivot for a team that entered the season with hopes of contending in the AFC South. At 2-5 and coming off consecutive losses, Indianapolis appears prepared to turn veteran talent into draft capital.
Schultz did not name any other Colts players who might be available, so the next move, if there is one, remains unknown.
Indianapolis will try to stop the slide in Week 8 when it travels to face the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are 4-2, on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
In Other News...
Colts Just Sent A Painful Message About Their Deadline Plans
The Colts moved on from one of their most recognizable linemen on deadline day, dealing All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle as a clear sign they were willing to make a tough football decision in the middle of the season. Nelson was in the final year of his contract, and the return gives Indianapolis future draft capital while closing the book on a player who has been a fixture of the offense for years.
For Seattle, the move is a straightforward bet on help up front, with the Seahawks taking on the rest of Nelsons deal to make the trade work. For Indianapolis, it leaves a bigger question hanging over the rest of the deadline window: whether this was the start of a broader reset, or simply the one deal they felt compelled to make before the market disappeared. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Bynum Showed Colts Fans Exactly What He Brings After Loss
After the Colts Week 7 loss to Minnesota, Camryn Bynum did what a lot of former teammates do after a reunion game: he shared a lighthearted photo with Harrison Smith that quickly made the rounds on social media. The moment had some humor to it, but it also underscored the connection Bynum still has to the Vikings and the respect he earned there, especially with Smith as a veteran presence during his Minnesota years.
For Indianapolis, though, the more important takeaway is what Bynum has already become on this defense. He has been on the field every week, functioning as a steady starter and one of the secondarys main communicators even as the Colts have worked through uneven results. In a season where the defense has needed reliability, Bynum has given them exactly that, and the loss in Minneapolis only put a brighter spotlight on how much he brings beyond the postgame moment. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Just Sent Their Rebuild Into Another Gear
The Colts roster overhaul took another sharp turn with the decision to move on from DeForest Buckner, a longtime anchor on the defensive front and a three-time Pro Bowler. The trade comes with Indianapolis in the middle of a difficult season and signals that the organization is continuing to reset pieces while reworking the roster around what comes next.
Buckner was in the final year of his contract, and his departure sends him back to the place where his NFL career began. For the Colts, the move adds another layer to a rebuild that has already forced some hard choices, and it leaves plenty of questions about how far this reshaping will go before the season is over. [Read more 🡒]