Story perspectives

Colts Trade Quenton Nelson for Late Draft Picks

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 22:26 UTC · How we work

Read the story

Story summary

Summary

The Indianapolis Colts traded guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle for a 2027 third-round and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
The Colts fired GM Chris Ballard on Oct. 19 and appointed Ed Dodds as chief of personnel.
Dodds will oversee trade negotiations before the Nov. 10 deadline.
The Nelson deal signals the Colts are prioritizing draft picks over veteran talent.

History

When Commissioner Paul Tagliabue instituted the NFL’s first hard salary cap for the 1994 season at $34.6 million, teams began swapping costly veterans for draft picks, a pattern the 1995 Dallas Cowboys followed by trading offensive tackle Erik Williams for a third-round selection. The Indianapolis Colts continued that approach in 2024, sending guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle for 2027 third- and 2028 fifth-round picks.

1 of 2

Historical Context

When Commissioner Paul Tagliabue instituted the NFL’s first hard salary cap for the 1994 season at $34.6 million, teams began swapping costly veterans for draft picks, a pattern the 1995 Dallas Cowboys followed by trading offensive tackle Erik Williams for a third-round selection. The Indianapolis Colts continued that approach in 2024, sending guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle for 2027 third- and 2028 fifth-round picks.

1 / 2