The Seahawks have made the first major move of the trade deadline period, landing All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson from the Colts in a deal that sends a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to Indianapolis, according to reports.
Seattle is taking on the remaining $9.777 million on Nelson’s contract, per The Ringer, and the 30-year-old arrives with the simplest kind of label attached: impact player. Nelson has been one of the league’s top interior linemen for years, and now he gives the Seahawks a proven answer at left guard.
That matters because it opens up the rest of the front. Nelson can slide into his usual spot on the left side, while 2025 first-round pick Grey Zabel could shift to right guard, the position he played at North Dakota State. For Seattle, the move brings both stability and options.
The production has still been there this season. In seven games, Nelson has allowed only six pressures and no sacks, according to TruMedia.
Over the last five seasons, he has given up just five sacks. That’s the kind of protection that should help Sam Darnold, especially with Seattle also getting healthier in the backfield thanks to the expected returns of Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price.
Nelson’s resume is as decorated as they come. He is a six-time All-Pro, including three first-team selections.
The Seahawks enter Week 8 at 4-3 after beating the Chiefs on Sunday night. That record has them in second place in the NFC West and sitting as the No. 8 seed in the NFC.
For the Colts, the move fits a clear sell-off direction after a 2-5 start and the firing of general manager Chris Ballard. Nelson, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, had been one of the names most frequently linked to the block, and now he’s the first to go as Indianapolis adds draft capital and resets for what many expect to be a full rebuild.
One thing Indianapolis does not have is its 2027 first-round pick, which it sent away last deadline in the Sauce Gardner trade.
And Nelson may not be the last notable piece to move. Jonathan Taylor and DeForest Buckner are also considered possible trade chips before the Nov. 10 deadline.
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