Colts trade All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to Seahawks and DeForest Buckner to 49ers after GM firing

The Indianapolis Colts traded All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. In return, Indianapolis will receive a third-round and a fifth-round draft pick for the 30-year-old eight-time Pro Bowler, who was due to become a free agent in March. The move came just over a week after Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired general manager Chris Ballard following a home loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans, with assistant general manager Ed Dodds replacing him for now. The Colts, now 2-5 after losing three straight, also traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round pick, their second major move in two weeks. Neither team had formally announced the Nelson deal at the time of reporting, and the Seahawks, 4-3, host Chicago on Monday night.

Right-leaning outlets led with Ayanna Taylor's reaction to the moves. The New York Post built its story around her TikTok videos, quoting her question about whether anybody on the team was safe and her caption asking if she should start packing, while Daily Mail framed the trades as a 'fire sale' that could put running back Jonathan Taylor on the market and highlighted the Seahawks' 20-3 win over Kansas City. Left-leaning coverage in the Guardian, citing the AP, focused on the trade details and the Colts' skid of 12 losses in their last 14 games, and did not mention Taylor's wife. Alternative outlets diverged: ESPN headlined the Buckner trade, while Yahoo Sports followed the wife's concerns and noted Taylor's 8-2 season a year earlier.