Note, this is not advocating for any of these Colts player to be traded, rather that these are players the Colts can trade that can give the Colts cap relief. Due to their remaining contracts there will be limits on to how much draft return most of them can get a return on, but the Colts need to get younger and get more resources to make upgrades at multiple key positions, especially on defense.
The Colts also need to retain both Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones, as they have stated both are priority re-signings in the end of season press conferences. We are only including players on this list with Cap Space Saved is either more or comparable to the Dead Cap inflicted by trading the player away and the savings are a solid amount.
It is also worth noting that Head Coach Shane Steichen, General Manager Chris Ballard, and owner Carlie Irsay Gordon all stated belief in most of their current core of players and noted how close they felt with this team prior to injuries (even though they stated injuries are no excuse). Don’t expect a major rebuilt with most of these players being traded in 2026, but rather a only handful of them might move on. Still nearly every player has a price so if the right offer comes along the Colts could entertain offers on even their best players. We can’t rule out that possibility, hence some of the inclusions on this list.
Michael Pittman Jr.
- Cap Space Saved: $24 million
- Dead Cap: $5 million
Pittman Jr. is the one Colt with the most cap space saved if moved, with the Colts saving enough from his trade to be able to likely afford a new Alec Pierce contract on the savings alone. However due to the team trading for Pittman Jr. inheriting only 1 year on his deal and a $24 million cap hit (unless otherwise negotiated), the Colts can’t expect much return in draft assets by moving Pittman Jr. unless they agree to shoulder more of his remaining contract.
Despite his late season regression (in part due to QB play), Pittman Jr is still valued by the Colts and they might not be satisfied with trading him away for a small return picks wise even if it offers significant cap relief. Instead a restructure or small extension seems likely as a way to add more guaranteed money for the former Trojan than his current $5 million remaining, keep him for 1-2 more years, and lower his 2026 cap hit to a more reasonable figure than his current $29 million on the books (low 20s to teens range).
Still with a deep Wide Receiver draft class and that significant potential cap savings, all it takes is enough draft capital to pry away the physical possession Wide Out away from Indy. With his current Contract the Colts would be lucky to get a 5th round pick for him, but if someone offers a Round 4 pick in a trade offer with that amount of savings the Colts would be very tempted.
Quenton Nelson
- Cap Space Saved: $18 million
- Dead Cap: $6.2 million
Nelson is the Colts sole All Pro (2nd Team) in 2025 and has been a staple of the NFL’s Offensive Lineman upper echelons. He is now 30 but elite level Guards with pretty clean injury histories have been shown to play well into their 30s at a high level. There is still plenty left in the tank for Nelson to continue to rack up awards on his way to a likely Hall of Fame career.
Which is why despite the 1 year remaining on his deal and the $18 million dollar cap his new team would inherit, Nelson could command quite a bounty on the trade market. While Guards traditionally haven’t been considered the most premium Offensive Lineman position (Tackles take that title), the rise of so many high level Defensive Tackles in the modern game and the Offensive Lineman shortage from College to Pros has upped the value of Guards significantly. And an All Pro Guard of Nelson’s caliber who likely has a gold jacket being tailored for him doesn’t hit the trade block very often.
Despite age, contract length, cap space remaining, and being a Guard; I believe Quenton Nelson could be one of the few players the Colts have who could fetch premium draft capital. Perhaps even net a Round 1 pick. With the Colts desperate for draft capital and a pair of premium needs at Defensive End and potentially Quarterback. If the Colts fall in love with some of the Round 1 Edge Rushers or one of the QBs that isn’t expected to go in the top 10 but might not be guarantees to be available at pick 47 (Ty Simpson or Trinidad Chambliss), then the Colts could be convinced to make a bold move for the necessary draft capital.
Fair warning though, trading away Nelson naturally immediately opens up a hole in the starting Offensive Line at Left Guard. Offensive Lineman scarcity is real and to replace Quenton Nelson’s impact on a line is no easy feat. With the Colts having multiple QBs recovering from injury and with lengthy injury histories, worsening their protection up front is a risky endeavor for their health. This potential move has potential to be a career ender if the ensuing draft picks don’t hit significantly, both for the decision makers in charge and the Quarterbacks under contract with the Colts.
No risk it, no biscuit… but this biscuit better be one of the best ones you’ve ever tasted.
DeForest Buckner
- Cap Space Saved: $15.8 million
- Dead Cap: $10.8 million
Another staple of the Colts trenches, DeForest Buckner has been the best Defensive Tackle in Indianapolis Colts history. He is a definite leader of the Colts locker room, and while there were some impressive stretches from his backups in his absence in 2025 (namely Adetomiwa Adebawore’s pass rushing), the Colts ultimately missed the impact of a fully healthy Buckner in the 2nd half of the season.
But with his neck injury being reinjured late in 2025, the future for Buckner is unclear. Chris Ballard said in his end of season press conference that Buckner expects to play in 2026 after a post-season surgery was a success. Still it is unclear this early if he will return to form and how much he has left in his career. Neck injuries can be a tricky recovery, especially with Buckner entering his age 32 season in 2026.
With his age, injury, and 1 year remaining on his deal (with $15.8 million being inherited by his new team in the event of a trade) the Colts likely can’t expect premium picks for Buckner, maybe get a Round 3 pick at best. While the Round 3 pick is valuable, the upside of a healthy Buckner’s impact on the Colts Defense, the $10.8 million dead cap hit (even with $15.8m), the Colts still having questions at depth behind him (Gallimore Free Agent, Adebawore promising but small sample size), and the leadership he provides are all factors that lead me to doubt he is moved in 2026 barring a generous trade package.
Jonathan Taylor
- Cap Space Saved: $13 million
- Dead Cap: $2.562 million
Jonathan Taylor is one of the best RBs in the NFL, especially on the ground. He showed improvements as a pass blocker and pass catcher as well in 2025, which could further add to his trade value. Contending teams in need of rushing help could covet Taylor very highly on the Trade Block.
The things holding back his trade value is his contract (1 year remaining, would inherit $13 million), his regression in the second half of 2025, and his injury history of 2022-2024 limiting him to 35 out of a possible 51 games in that stretch. Playing fully healthy in 2025 should assuage some of the latter concern, and should teams provide Taylor with decent blocking and a quarterback who is more of a threat than an injured Daniel Jones or a 44 year old Phillip Rivers, teams should feel confident they can get the Jonathan Taylor that looked like a potential MVP candidate in the first half of 2025.
Taylor enters his age 27 season on the verge of breaking Colts all time rushing records with another strong campaign and maintaining his role as the engine of the Colts Offense. If a team values what they’ve seen from Taylor, believes he can stay healthy, and that they can extend Taylor after 2026; there is a scenario where Taylor could net the Colts a nice trade package. However no team has traded a Round 1 pick for a Running Back since the Colts traded a Round 1 pick to the Browns for Trent Richardson in 2013.
The closest comparable trade is the 2022 midseason Christian McCaffrey move to the 49ers, in which the Panthers netted a late Round 2, a late Round 3, a late Round 4, and a future Round 5 pick for sending McCaffrey to the 49ers. While both are very different players, the situation was also different. The 49ers were able to trade for McCaffrey early in his extension with the Panthers to ensure they’d have multiple years of him under contract with no guarantees and only a $12 million annual cap hit in future years (and only had to pay a $690,000 cap hit for the year they traded for McCaffrey).
The lack of long term contract control and the higher cap hit in year 1 of the trade both decrease his value. Maybe the Colts could get some Day 2 Draft capital with a later Day 3 future pick thrown in. For a player as important to the Colts offense and with the Colts not interested in a full rebuild (yet), expect the Colts to opt to keep Taylor in 2026.
Grover Stewart
- Cap Space Saved: $12.25 million
- Dead Cap: $2 million
Fan favorite Grover Stewart is the oldest player on this list at age 33, arriving to the Colts in Chris Ballard’s first draft. The significant savings are tempting to free up, at $12.25 million. Though that figure also means that the trade value for the 33 year old Defensive Tackle is lower. The Colts would get Day 3 capital for Stewart, and would be fortunate to get Round 5 capital or better.
Unlike the aforementioned DeForest Buckner, the Colts have no depth currently on the roster to fill Stewart’s 1 Technique Defensive Tackle position as a space eater in the middle of the Defensive Line. Trading away Stewart would open up a literal massive hole in the middle of the Colts Defense.
The 2026 Draft does have a very deep Nose Tackle/1 Technique Defensive Tackle class, featuring the following prospects:
- Florida’s Caleb Banks
- Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald
- Georgia’s Cristen Miller
- Oregon’s A’Mauri Washington
- Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter
- Iowa State’s Domonique Orange
- Cincinnati’s Dontay Corleone
- Florida State’s Darrell Jackson
- Texas A&M’s Albert Regis
- Alabama’s Tim Keenan III
- Texas’ Cole Brevard
- Ole Miss’ Zxavian Harris
- Penn State’s Zane Durant
- Missouri’s Chris McClellan
The Top 3 on this list are likely to go Round 1 or early Round 2 at the latest, with the next 5 likely being Day 2 Draft picks. There are still options beyond the first two days of the draft to fill the position if the Colts do opt to move from their longtime Nose Tackle. However doing so and putting a rookie in would be asking a lot from the young player early and could hurt locker room morale with how beloved Grover Stewart is. A restructure to free up cap space and adding depth in the draft as a succession plan is the more likely path.
Kenny Moore II
- Cap Space Saved: $7.15 million
- Dead Cap: $6.05 million
Another fan favorite, Kenny Moore II has been a staple of the Colts secondary for nearly a decade while manning the slot as a nickel Corner. A routine Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Moore II has set and example of what it means to be a Colt on and off the field, endearing himself to fans and teammates alike in the process.
Moving on from the Lightning in a bottle playmaker would save the Colts $7.15 million but would cost them $6.05 million in dead cap. The 30 old Corner is on his last year of his deal and has a $2.85 million void year in 2027 that the team that trades for Moore II will have to pay even if he isn’t under contract, further hurting his trade value even after his reduced cap hit from being traded. An extension is the more likely the route the Colts take if they want to use Kenny Moore II’s contract as a way to free up 2026 cap space.
Zaire Franklin
- Cap Space Saved: $5.755 million
- Dead Cap: $2.5 million
As we enter the final to Colts on the list, we recognize this pair as the most likely to be moved in the 2026 offseason. Albeit Colts fans should expect minimal trade value in return for this pair if the Colts move on from them.
Zaire Franklin has been a high volume tackler since he became the Colts starting Linebacker after working his way from being a Special Teams captain. His downfield abilities as a run stuffer and a blitzer are solid. But missed tackles, coverage miscues, and some “loafing” plays in pursuit have soured his perception from fans, and have cost the Colts Defense. Some of his more outlandish statements on his old podcast that aged poorly didn’t help this perception either.
If the Colts decide to move on from Zaire, the market for the 29 year old Linebacker (turning 30 in July) could be interesting to watch. Will a team be tempted to get Zaire at a $5.755 million price tag if they run an aggressive blitzing scheme that wouldn’t ask him to play in space? Perhaps.
The Colts could get the same amount of cap space freed up from cutting or trading Franklin, so if the Colts want a culture change and would like to free up cap space they have options if the trade market doesn’t materialize. 2025 midseason addition Germaine Pratt lined up at WILL Linebacker this past year and impressed with improved coverage flashes and his familiarity with Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme from their time in Cincinnati. Retaining him and moving him back to his old position at MIKE Linebacker would make a lot of sense for the Colts, and/or the Colts could opt to add to their Linebacker core with a talented 2026 Draft Class at the position.
Anthony Richardson Sr.
- Cap Space Saved: $5.386 million
- Dead Cap: $5.431 million
The Colts 2023 4th Overall pick unfortunately has had a snakebitten start to his career. From multiple injuries on the field, to a midseason benching in 2024, to being passed on the depth chart by newcomer QB Daniel Jones, culminating in a freak accident involving a broken pipe and resistance band fracturing his orbital bone and partially compromising his sight in his right eye. Safe to say the 23 year old QB’s career hasn’t gone to plan over the last 3 seasons.
The Colts appear to be entering 2026 with belief in Daniel Jones after a breakout 1st half of the 2025 season prior to injury and want to retain him despite coming off of an Achilles tear, as well as being impressed by backup rookie QB Riley Leonard in his 2 games of snaps. Their plans at the position seem to not include the young passer out of Florida, and could be looking to trade him away in the last year of his rookie deal for cap space relief to a team that is willing to give him another shot.
Some teams and head coaches were reportedly very high on Richardson even after his midseason benching in 2024, though their interest level after 2025 is to be determined. With a lot of QB needy teams in the NFL, all it takes is one who still believes in Richardson to make a deal with the Colts.
Should he regain his vision, a team could buy into the flashes Richardson showed as a passer with his elite rushing ability and sack avoidance paired with his extremely high velocity passing and impressive vertical route accuracy. He still has tools that the right teacher could buy into trying to fine tune and develop into a high level QB, although the odds of him reaching his potential have certainly gone down since his draft day.
Expect that if Richardson is traded the Colts net some Day 3 draft capital for their former passer, alongside the aforementioned savings.
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