Colts Trade All-Pro Guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle
The Indianapolis Colts have traded All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks. A person with knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced.
The Seahawks later confirmed the acquisition in their own announcement, saying it is pending a physical. A physical is a medical exam that must be passed before a trade is finalized. Seattle will send the Colts a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Those picks are chances to select college players in the NFL draft, which runs in rounds, with the first round coming first and the best prospects usually taken early.
Nelson is a guard, one of the big linemen who block in the middle of the offensive line. His job is to open running lanes and keep the quarterback clean. He was the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, and he spent eight seasons with Indianapolis. He was named All-Pro, the league's top honor at his position, from 2018 through 2020. He has also been selected to the Pro Bowl, the NFL's all-star game, eight times. Players ranked him No. 29 on the NFL Top 100 list in 2020, No. 33 in 2021 and No. 28 in 2022.
The move comes during a shake-up in Indianapolis. The Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard last week, after a home loss to the Tennessee Titans, who had been winless before that game. Assistant general manager Ed Dodds has taken over as interim general manager, which means he will run the front office on a temporary basis.
In Seattle, the reaction was quick. Sports Illustrated reported that the Seahawks' Super Bowl odds jumped after the trade was reported.
Nelson's contract is the next piece to watch. He can become a free agent in March, when players whose deals have run out can sign with any team. For now, the trade waits on Nelson passing his physical. Once that clears, he will have a new home on a Seahawks line that will be looking to keep its quarterback protected for the rest of the season.
