Quenton Nelson Traded to Seahawks from Colts, Full Details Revealed Ahead of NFL Deadline

Amid a disappointing 2026 season, the Indianapolis Colts' roster teardown has officially begun.

ESPN's Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that the Colts are sending eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson to the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. The Ringer's Tom Pelissero reported that the Seahawks gave up a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to acquire Nelson, who is currently on an expiring contract.

The Colts are also "actively shopping" defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Schultz added the "expectation" around the NFL is that the San Francisco 49ers "will respond next" and make a move.

Neal Khosla, the son of Seahawks controlling owner Neeru Khosla, reacted to Nelson's acquisition on social media:

The Colts fell to 2-5 following their third straight loss, which came after they fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard last week. There had been rumblings that Indianapolis could be on the verge of a rebuild, and trading Nelson officially sets that in motion.

In his ninth season since being drafted sixth overall in 2018, Nelson is already considered one of the greatest offensive linemen of all time. The 30-year-old has been a fixture in the Pro Bowl since his rookie year and is a six-time All-Pro with three first-team selections. Despite playing in the trenches, he became one of the faces of the franchise in Indianapolis and was selected as a team captain in each of the last six years.

Nelson is now being added to a 4-3 Seahawks team that is coming off a dominant run to the Super Bowl last season. Schefter noted that Seattle now has the flexibility to move second-year left guard Gray Zabel back to the right side of the offensive line, where he played in college.

Acquiring Nelson signifies that the Seahawks are going all-in as they chase a second straight Super Bowl title, while the Colts are moving in the opposite direction as they gear up for more changes ahead of an uncertain future.