When the Indianapolis Colts fired Chris Ballard, their General Manager of almost ten seasons, and replaced him with a former Seattle Seahawk scout and executive in Ed Dodds, many people immediately thought the same thing. The fire sale is imminent, and John Schneider has a clear in for negotiations. So, who is worth trading for on their offense?
Before we get into that, let me re-emphasize that I’m not convinced making a trade is a good idea for the Seahawks right now. One player, maybe even a couple players, may not fix their problems. If Brian Fleury can’t hack it as a playcaller, or Sam Darnold continues to give the ball away, the rest of this doesn’t even matter that much. But, for the sake of argument.
Jonathan Taylor
There was a lot of steam around the Seahawks drafting Taylor back in 2020. Now, with him established as an elite running back, perhaps it makes sense to bring him in. JT has made two straight pro bowls and is still well on pace for a thousand yard season. His 4.0 yard per carry average is easily a career-low, however, a red flag as he approaches 28 years old.
Other obstacles include his contract (two years left after 2026 at $44 million, plus around $4 million left in base on his 2026 salary), which means the Colts will likely demand significant compensation. Also, will John Schneider make a big draft capital AND monetary investment into a running back after he already blinked at giving Ken Walker a big contract? I doubt it.
Beyond that, does Taylor fit their offense? The Jonathan Taylor I’m familiar with tends to stick to the A-gap and B-gap, so I’m not sure if it’ll work in Seattle’s outside zone scheme. He has the speed for it, but there’s more to the outside zone than just speed. Are we really giving up a day two pick and significant money for a running back? Color me skeptical.
Josh Downs
I’m not big on the idea of the Seahawks adding a wide receiver right now. I understand where the idea is coming from, but if this team can’t figure out how to use the receivers they already have, I’m hesitant to toss another log into the fire. Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton should be more than enough for this offense, even if it’s a bit more pass-happy than expected.
However, Downs is in the final year of his rookie deal and should be pretty cheap. He’s been pretty productive, but not so productive that he should feel entitled to a quick extension. I imagine the Colts are going to take an ‘everything that’s not nailed down’ approach, and trading for Downs might block him from the Rams and 49ers as well. Worth a thought.
Quenton Nelson
I’ve seen this one a lot, and it’s not hard to see why. Quenton Nelson has been a premiere left guard in this league for almost ten years, and PFF still considers him to be among the very best. He’s in a contract year, so he’s pretty easy to move, and is 30, so it’s very unlikely the Colts view him as part of their plans. The cost shouldn’t be as high as you’d think.
That being said, having a good offensive line in the NFL is much more than just stacking the most talented five players you can get. It’s about synergy and continuity. Injecting a new left guard into the mix is not guaranteed to improve things, even if the overall talent level goes up. Also, putting him in at left guard means you’re mixing things up elsewhere.
Grey Zabel moves to center in this hypothetical, which may not go smoothly (he played tackle in college). This bumps Jalen Sundell to either right guard, where he has a little bit of experience but nothing that guarantees future success, or to the bench. In my mind, Sundell is playing well at center right now. Also, would Nelson demand an immediate extension? It’s complex.
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