The Seahawks made the first major move of the trade deadline stretch, landing All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson from the Colts in a deal that immediately changes the look of Seattle’s offensive line.
According to ESPN, Seattle is acquiring Nelson from Indianapolis. The Ringer reports the Colts will receive a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick in return. Seattle will also take on the remaining $9.777 million on Nelson’s contract, per The Ringer.
For now, the move gives the Seahawks a proven interior force for the stretch run, even if this is being treated as a short-term addition with Nelson in the final year of his deal. Seattle could still keep him beyond this season by using the franchise tag or working out an extension, something the team has done before. The franchise previously extended Leonard Williams and Rasheed Shahid after acquiring them on expiring contracts.
Nelson, 30, slides in as a natural fit at left guard, which opens the door for 2025 first-round pick Grey Zabel to move to right guard, the position he played at North Dakota State. That flexibility is a big part of the appeal.
Nelson has long been regarded as one of the league’s top interior linemen, and his numbers this season back that up: in seven games, he has given up only six pressures and no sacks, according to TruMedia. Over the last five seasons, he has allowed just five sacks.
That kind of protection should matter for Sam Darnold, and Nelson brings more than pass blocking. He’s a six-time All-Pro, with three first-team selections, and he should also give Seattle’s run game a boost as the team gets closer to getting Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price back.
Seattle comes into Week 8 at 4-3 after beating the Chiefs on Sunday night. That record has the Seahawks in second place in the NFC West and sitting as the No. 8 seed in the NFC.
For Indianapolis, the trade fits the direction the franchise has been heading since its 2-5 start and the firing of general manager Chris Ballard. The Colts have been viewed as a seller ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline, and Nelson was one of the names most often mentioned as a candidate to move. He becomes the first player dealt as the team starts adding draft capital for what many expect to be a full rebuild.
Nelson’s departure ends a run that began when the Colts selected him No. 6 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. And he may not be the only major name on the move before the deadline. Running back Jonathan Taylor and pass rusher DeForest Buckner are also considered possible trade chips for Indianapolis.
The Colts also do not own their 2027 first-round pick, having sent it away last deadline in the Sauce Gardner trade.
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