The Indianapolis Colts have traded Quenton Nelson, one of the best offensive linemen of his generation, to the Seattle Seahawks. The deal was reported on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and the Seahawks announced it the same day, pending a physical.
It’s the biggest move so far before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
The trade
| Seahawks get | Colts get |
|---|---|
| G Quenton Nelson | 2027 third-round pick |
| 2028 fifth-round pick |
Nelson is in the last year of his contract. According to The Ringer, via CBS Sports, Seattle will pay the remaining $9.78 million of his salary this season.
Who is Quenton Nelson?
Nelson was the No. 6 overall pick in 2018 out of Notre Dame and started at left guard from his first game as a rookie. His career so far:
- Pro Bowl in all eight of his seasons. According to the Seahawks, he and Hall of Fame tackle Joe Thomas are the only offensive linemen ever to make the Pro Bowl in each of their first eight years.
- First-team All-Pro three times (2018, 2019 and 2020) and second-team All-Pro three more times.
- Very durable. He has missed only four games in his career, all in 2021 with an ankle injury.
- Still elite in 2026. He has not allowed a sack this season in seven games.
"Since day one, he’s really been a culture-setter," said Braden Smith, his Colts teammate from 2018 to 2025.
Why the Seahawks did it
Seattle is 4-3 and coming off its best win of the season, a 20-3 win over Kansas City on Sunday night. The weak spot has been the offensive line.
- According to CBS Sports, Seattle’s interior line has allowed pressure on quarterback Sam Darnold more often than any team in the league.
- Darnold was hit 17 times and sacked five times in a Week 6 overtime loss to Denver.
- ESPN reports that guard Grey Zabel is expected to move to right guard, with Nelson taking over on the left side.
The price is low for a player this good. Seattle also expects several compensatory picks in the next draft, so giving up a third-rounder doesn’t hurt much. And because Nelson’s contract ends this season, the Seahawks could try to re-sign him, as they’ve done before with players they traded for.
CBS Sports grade for Seattle: A
Why the Colts did it
Indianapolis is 2-5. The team fired general manager Chris Ballard on Oct. 19, and assistant GM Ed Dodds is in charge for the rest of the season.
Nelson could have left in free agency next spring for nothing, so the Colts chose to get draft picks now. It’s hard to "win" a trade like this, because an elite player is going out at a discount. The Colts also don’t own their 2027 first-round pick, which went to the Jets in the Sauce Gardner trade.
CBS Sports grade for Indianapolis: C+
What happens next?
The trade is a strong sign that the Colts are selling. Running back Jonathan Taylor and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner have both been mentioned as possible trade candidates before the deadline, though the Colts have not said they will trade Taylor.
Seattle plays Chicago on Monday night in Week 8. That could be Nelson’s first game for his new team, if he passes his physical in time.
Key dates
- Monday, Nov. 2: Bears at Seahawks (Monday Night Football)
- Tuesday, Nov. 10, 4:00 pm ET: NFL trade deadline (how it works)
Follow every deal in our NFL trade tracker, and see where both teams sit in our Week 8 power rankings.
Sources: ESPN, Seahawks.com, CBS Sports, Fox Sports.
