The Indianapolis Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday after a 2-4 start to the 2026 season, stirring speculation that the team could engage in a fire sale before the trade deadline.
Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta already made one blockbuster trade, sending a second-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for center Cam Jurgens. But the Colts have their own treasure trove of players to offer, particularly in the trenches where DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson can change games on their own. Should DeCosta call up Colts assistant GM Chris Dodds and make another deal?
Nikhil Mehta
If the Ravens want to move on from John Simpson as their starting left guard, they will have to stomach paying him $17.5 million for roughly half a season of work. Quenton Nelson would no doubt be a massive upgrade, but he is due for a substantial raise once his contract expires after the season. He would also cost premium draft capital – if Jurgens went for a second-round pick, Nelson is probably worth a first. It just does not make sense for Baltimore.
Buckner, though, I have coveted for years. Officially, he already has four sacks and four tackles for loss through six games, and according to Pro Football Focus, he ranks ninth among interior defenders with 19 pressures. His pass rushing opportunities have also been somewhat limited by the Colts trailing for most of their games to open the year. This is another expiring contract in an expensive market, though, so a premium Day 3 pick would be the most I would offer for a half-season rental.
Dustin Cox
As much as I love the idea of adding Quinton Nelson to the Ravens, I simply do not think it is feasible given the combination of draft capitol required to pry him away from the Colts and the need to pay him a new contract. Nelson will surely demand another top-of-the-market deal and I am not sure if the Ravens are in a spot to hand one out, given their future cap situation and players such as Roger Rosengarten and Nate Wiggins who will be eligible for extensions next year. A player such as DeForest Buckner may make more sense, but Baltimore already has big-contract players on the defensive line in Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones. Already giving up a 2028 second-round pick for Cam Jurgens means Eric DeCosta may not be as willing to part with another Day 2 pick. If a trade is to be made before the deadline, I expect DeCosta to flip a mid-round pick for a solid player instead.
Zach Canter
The Ravens should absolutely be calling to see the asking price on Quinton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. Both are north of 30 and on expiring contracts that the Colts should be looking to offload. I could see the Ravens passing on Buckner cause they have both Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones signed long-term. Jesse Minter has struggled to get the most out of his pass rush, particularly with Trey Hendrickson and Mike Green failing to produce at the same time. Another disruptive interior would boost the pass rush and offer the flexibility for Madubuike to flex outside as a jumbo edge rusher.
Nelson is a guy the Ravens shouldn’t be outbid for. There are a ton of resources now tied up in the offensive line: a first round pick in Ioane, the trade for Jurgens (and his contract), and veteran deals for John Simpson and Ronnie Stanley. Roger Rosengarten is eligible for an extension next spring and should be in line for a substantial raise. But with Stanley on an expiring contract and Vinson looking plausible as a future left tackle, there’s no reason for the Ravens to not go all in on building the wall this year and the future. There’s a very possible future that includes Nelson, Jurgens, Ioane, and Rosengarten the core of the OL for the next couple of years. Restructure a couple contracts, throw John Simpson in the deal, extend Lamar Jackson this offseason, and there’s a way to make the cap space for both Nelson and Rosengarten to get extensions. If the Ravens want to be a contender this year, it’s a move they should absolutely make. As the L.A. Rams say, F them picks.
Kevin McNelis
The Colts are in significant disarray at the moment, and Chris Ballard’s firing seems to signify that they’re ready to head in a new direction. With that in mind, I agree that Baltimore should see what the asking price is for Quenton Nelson and/or DeForest Buckner. The earlier acquisition of Cam Jurgens for a future second-rounder seems to signify that Baltimore is willing to deal at a high price to try to win now; the question is what kind of price they’re willing to pay for either of these guys, considering that they’d be short-term rentals under their current contracts.
My gut says the Colts stand pat for at least a few more days while they try to figure out who is handling any trade considerations, especially given EDC’s track record of swooping in like a hawk to go after embattled franchises at moments of vulnerability. If I had to pick one target over the other, I’d see what the Colts want for Quenton Nelson since he would shore up the line basically everywhere barring another injury. Q is one of the most reliable guards in the league and has been for many years, so if you could line up LJ’s return with reinforcements along his line, this offense could get a huge, much-needed boost.
I don’t know that I see the Ravens actually pulling the trigger to go after of these guys, but I’ve been surprised before (the Roquan acquisition comes to mind).