Any time that an NFL team fires its general manager, as the Indianapolis Colts did with Chris Ballard on Monday, the knee-jerk reaction is that the team will follow that by trading key players. If Indy chooses to do that, the Seattle Seahawks might be interested in a few, but that should also proceed with caution.
To be fair, there is no guarantee that Indianapolis, which now has Ed Dodds running the personnel department, has any inclination to hold a fire sale. The team definitely has a number of high-end players that other teams would want, though.
The unfortunate part for Seattle is that most of the players Indianapolis might think of trading to get high-end draft value in return might be players that Seattle doesn't necessarily need.
Seattle Seahawks could be tempted to trade for these four Indianapolis Colts but shouldn't
Left guard Quenton Nelson
Nelson is a better guard than anyone else on the Seahawks roster, both this season and in the last 20 years. He should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, but he is 30 years old and plays a position where Seattle already has a young, long-term starter. That would be Grey Zabel, and Zabel isn't going to flip to the right side because he hasn't played there.
Nelson also would be due for a new contract next season, and could get one north of $20 million. The Seahawks could afford that, but then couldn't afford other free agents at more needy positions (like cornerback). Nelson would be a terrific add, but he does fit something Seattle desperately needs.
Running back Jonathan Taylor
Taylor would improve nearly any running back room in the NFL, and he might be a player that the Seahawks would go after if Taylor hadn't recently signed an extension. He did so before the season, and his average annual salary is $22 million, with cap hits of nearly that much in 2027 and 2028.
Plus, Seattle drafted Jadarian Price in the first round this year, and he needs to be the focus of the rushing attack in the future, once he is fully healthy again. Taylor and Price would be an elite pair, but Taylor's price tag makes him someone the Seahawks should pass on.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward
The former San Francisco 49ers cornerback is having a tremendous season, but he's more of an injury risk now than he ever has been. He is 30 years old, and suffered three concussions last season. He is also signed through 2027 with a cap hit of $24,666,668 next season.
Would he help a somewhat struggling Seattle Seahawks cornerback group this season? Probably. But his contract requires him to be around for longer, and he might not stay healthy enough to be excellent for the duration of his current deal.
Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner
Another former 49ers player, Buckner might be tougher to pass on. He is having an All-Pro-type season, and no defensive line can have too many good players. Imagine a Seattle line that has Buckner, Leonard Williams, and Byron Murphy II. That's scary.
Still, he might only be a half-season addition. He is 32 years old and a free agent next year. If he wants to keep playing, he is going to want a lot of cash, and Seattle needs to spend that on positions other than the interior of the defensive line.
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