Buckner, Nelson trades signal Colts' rebuild underway
Indianapolis traded DeForest Buckner to the 49ers and Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks Tuesday as the franchise begins a full rebuild after falling to 2-5.
Why Buckner and Nelson are trending
DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson are trending because the Colts traded both of them on Tuesday. Buckner, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, is heading back to the San Francisco 49ers, the team that drafted him and sent him to Indianapolis in 2020. Nelson, an All-Pro guard, is going to the Seattle Seahawks, a 49ers rival in the NFC West.
Both players were in the final year of their contracts and their futures in Indianapolis were uncertain either way. What is not settled yet is how far this goes. The Colts are expected to entertain additional deals, with running back Jonathan Taylor, nose tackle Grover Stewart and receiver Josh Downs all drawing interest from other clubs before more of the roster potentially turns over.
A losing streak and a blunt locker room
The trades came two days after the Colts lost to the Minnesota Vikings to fall to 2-5, their third straight loss. Asked how he felt afterward, Buckner did not hide it. "I don't know, how 'bout you guess," he said. "I'm frustrated. Same thing. We lost."
That frustration is now someone else's problem to manage. The Colts have not won the AFC South since 2014, have not made the playoffs since 2020 and have not won a playoff game since 2018. They have averaged 7.6 wins a season over the last five years, and not even players as good as Buckner and Nelson were enough to turn that around.
Who ran the trades and what Indianapolis got back
The moves were engineered by assistant general manager Ed Dodds, presumably at the direction of owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon, following the firing of general manager Chris Ballard last week after 10 seasons on the job. Tuesday marked one of the most consequential days for the franchise since quarterback Andrew Luck's retirement in 2019, though this one was far easier to see coming.
Seattle sent a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick for Nelson. San Francisco sent a 2027 fourth-round pick for Buckner. Indianapolis still does not have its own 2027 first-round pick, since that selection went to the New York Jets as part of last year's Sauce Gardner trade. After Tuesday's deals, the Colts hold a single second-round pick, two third-round picks and two fourth-round picks in 2027.
What's next for the Colts
Tuesday's trades were a step toward rebuilding the draft capital the team's next top football executive will need. The Colts have cycled through quarterback after quarterback trying to replace Luck, and none of it amounted to a winning team. Buckner and Nelson leaving makes it official that Indianapolis is closing that chapter and starting over.
Whether that rebuild includes moving Taylor, Stewart or Downs before other trade windows close is the next thing to watch. For now, the Colts have told their locker room, and everyone searching their names, exactly what kind of season this turned into.
Facts per ESPN. Opinion is the taproom's.