The Colts have agreed to trade guard Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks, ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday. Tom Pelissero added the terms: Seattle sends Indianapolis a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Nelson is 30, per Yahoo Sports and Field Gulls.
Nelson is in the final year of his contract and would have become an unrestricted free agent after the season, per NFL Trade Rumors. Schefter's report, as relayed on r/nfl, says the Colts opted to get draft capital back now rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency. The outlets we have do not give any other reason for the deal. SB Nation suggested it could be the start of a fire sale in Indianapolis. That is that outlet's reading, not something reported by the others.
The outlets differ on Nelson's honors. ESPN, SB Nation and Schefter's post call him an eight-time Pro Bowl guard. Sportsnet says Pro Bowl, and Field Gulls calls him an eight-time All-Pro. Those are different honors, and the Pro Bowl description is the one in the primary reporting. Field Gulls also frames the move as another big swing at the trade deadline by Seattle. Pro Football Talk calls the Seahawks the defending champions and describes the deal as a move to bolster their offensive line.
Indianapolis is 2-5, on a three-game losing streak, and sits second in the AFC South, 2.5 games behind Jacksonville. The Colts lost 16-10 at Minnesota on Sunday, and before that 26-20 to Tennessee and 34-22 at Pittsburgh. Their run differential is -26.
Seattle is 4-3 and second in the NFC West, two games behind 6-1 San Francisco. The Seahawks beat Kansas City 20-3 on Sunday, their first win after a 32-29 loss to the 49ers and a 17-14 loss at Denver. Their run differential of +43 is better than every NFC West team except the 49ers' +58, so the line is being added to a team that has outscored opponents all year.
| Team | W | L | PCT | Home | Away | Strk | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | .857 | 4-0-0 | 2-1-0 | L1 | +58 | |
| 4 | 3 | .571 | 3-1-0 | 1-2-0 | W1 | +43 | |
| 3 | 4 | .429 | 1-3-0 | 2-1-0 | W1 | +11 | |
| 2 | 5 | .286 | 0-3-0 | 2-2-0 | L1 | -66 |
We have no 2026 stats for Nelson. Our archive only holds his defensive-category lines from earlier seasons, which don't measure what he does as a guard, so we can't say how he has played this year. The reporting doesn't say whether he has passed a physical or when he will join Seattle.
Seattle's next game is Monday, Nov. 2, at home against Chicago, which is 5-2. The Colts play at Jacksonville on Sunday, Nov. 1, for their first game without Nelson.
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