Robert Mathis Trade Rumors: Latest Trade Deadline News and Analysis on Colts DE

The 0-6 Indianapolis Colts are going nowhere this season. Veteran defensive end Robert Mathis, on the other hand, just might be.

Such is the rumor. The NFL's trade deadline is looming on Tuesday, and the word around the campfire is that Mathis may be on the move.

The only trouble is that it's hard to determine exactly how much substance there is beneath this rumor, if there is any at all. Nevertheless, we are going to do our best to keep tack of all the latest concerning Mathis. Check back here periodically for updates and analysis.

UPDATE: Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 4:10 p.m. EST

The trade deadline has passed and Robert Mathis is still a Colt. He wasn't a likely candidate for the New York Jets, according to The Jets Blog's Brian Bassett.

UPDATE: Monday, Oct. 17 at 4:45 p.m. EST

If you're at all curious about how the Mathis trade rumor got started, Phillip B. Wilson of The Indianapolis Star wrote last week that it seemed to stem from a mere suggestion by ESPN's Adam Schefter. He said in a roundabout way that Mathis should be on the trading block, not that he is.

On Saturday, Colts owner Jim Irsay addressed the rumor via Twitter:

If you are unfamiliar with Irsay's tweets, just know that the answer is yes, such tweets are indeed typical.

However, you have to figure that even Irsay can be swayed. If you don't want to take my word for it, you can listen to NFL Network's Mike Lombardi. He said on Friday (per Rotoworld.com) that Mathis and wide receiver Reggie Wayne, both of whom are in contract years, are available at "the right price."

My two cents is that Lomardi is probably right. The Colts have to realize that they are going nowhere this season, and they also have to realize that a rebuilding phase wouldn't be the worst idea in the world right now. Extra draft picks would certainly help.

But we'll see. The Colts don't have to trade Mathis or Wayne, so it's just as likely that they won't.

-Zachary D. Rymer