The All-Pro offensive guard is heading to the Seattle Seahawks in a deal that broke midday on Tuesday.
The return isn’t great, just a couple of mid-round picks, but Nelson is in the final year of his contract, which explains the cost — and it must’ve been the best offer the Colts thought they could get.
Compensation update; The Seahawks are sending a 2027 third-round pick and 2028 fifth-round round pick to the Colts in exchange for Quenton Nelson.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 27, 2026
Even more notable to this whole picture than Nelson getting traded, though, is what it means for the guys who remain in Indy.
Players like Jonathan Taylor and DeForest Buckner are now on high alert, because it’s unlikely the Colts would stop with just this one move.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport summed it up with this post on X:
And the #Colts are open for business. And likely not done.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 27, 2026
What Quenton Nelson Trade Means for Jonathan Taylor
The Nelson trade almost certainly increases the odds of Taylor getting traded at least a bit.
Taylor isn’t on an expiring contract, which is the main reason he wouldn’t get dealt.
But the more players the Colts trade away from their core, even if they’re the guys on expiring deals, the harder it’ll be to justify keeping Taylor on a weakening roster.
If the Colts are picking up picks for veteran players, their contention timeline starts to shift further out into the future.
Taylor has two years left after this one on his current contract, but RBs age quickly. If the Colts don’t see themselves as near-term contenders, Taylor’s best value could be in bringing back high draft picks.
What Quenton Nelson Trade Means for DeForest Buckner
The star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is as good as gone.
He’s on an expiring deal, like Nelson. He’s been in the trade rumors, like Nelson.
There’s no reason to believe the Colts would deal Nelson only to hold onto Buckner.
The San Francisco 49ers, Buckner’s former team, have been at the front of the rumors. You can bet they’re ringing the Colts’ phone frequently in the days ahead to try and bring Buckner back to the Bay Area.
Other Trade Candidates
The Colts have at least three other players on expiring deals who could have appeal.
Another defensive tackle beyond Buckner, Grover Stewart, could garner interest.
And then the receivers Josh Downs and Keenan Allen could both help a contender and will be free agents after this year.
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Billy Heyen Billy Heyen is a Heavy contributor with focus on the NFL and MLB. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who spent his senior year following Jim Boeheim's basketball team around the country. His reporting work has also included extensive work for The Sporting News, the Sandusky Register and Rochester's Democrat & Chronicle. Adventures in sports writing have also led to in-person coverage of the Buffalo Sabres, Cleveland Guardians, U.S. men's national soccer team and a variety of minor league baseball stories. More about Billy Heyen
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