Colts trade All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to Seahawks for two draft picks

Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson is set to play for the Seattle Seahawks. The trade, announced on Monday, sends the All-Pro to Seattle in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2027 draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2028 draft. The move comes one week after the Colts' co-owner, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, dismissed general manager Chris Ballard, who had selected Nelson with the sixth overall pick in 2018.

Nelson, the league's third-highest paid guard, spent nearly a decade as a cornerstone of the Colts' offensive line. His contract expires after this season, and he had been hesitant to discuss his future following Ballard's departure. After Indianapolis lost its third consecutive game on Saturday, a 16-10 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings, Nelson offered a brief comment. "I feel like everyone came to work and are doing their best. I don't know what else to say," Nelson said.

The Colts sought draft capital to offset the loss of their 2026 and 2027 first-round selections, which were sent to the New York Jets last November in the trade for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner. Irsay-Gordon stated in a statement last week that a leadership change was necessary to meet the team's standard of competing for championships. "The sense of urgency has never been greater," she wrote.

Other Colt players face similar contract situations. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, a Pro Bowl selection, also has a deal that expires after this season. Buckner expressed frustration after the recent loss in Minnesota. "What if I guess? Yeah, I'm frustrated. Same thing: we lost," Buckner said. Running back Jonathan Taylor, who signed a two-year, 44 million dollar extension in August, leads the league with eight rushing touchdowns and ranks fifth in rushing yards with 587.

The Seahawks, who are defending Super Bowl champions, pursued Nelson to address issues in their rushing attack. The offense has struggled to open running lanes since losing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency. The team is 4-3, while the Colts have lost 12 of their last 14 games, a streak that began with a home loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 6.

Nelson and linebacker Darius Leonard became the first rookie teammates to earn All-Pro honors in the same year since the Chicago Bears' Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus in 1965. Nelson was named to the All-Pro team from 2018 to 2020. Both he and Buckner serve as team captains, though Nelson was previously moved despite that status.

The Seahawks will get their first look at Nelson in action on Monday night. They host the Chicago Bears at home, with the Bears currently holding a 5-2 record.