According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, despite other team’s recent inquiries, the Indianapolis Colts have no intentions of trading breakout defensive tackle Ade Adebawore ahead of the league’s trade deadline:
With longtime veteran DeForest Buckner’s departure, the 25-year-old Adebawore, who was originally a 2023 4th round pick by Indianapolis, is expected to immediately start full-time as his replacement going forward in 2026.
While those are big shoes to fill at 3T, Adebawore has had a standout campaign in a rotational role, recording 17 tackles (7 solo), a pass defensed, 4.0 sacks, and 15 total QB pressures during 7 games (1 start) this season.
Athletic, fast, twitchy, and featuring a surprisingly strong bull rush for his size at 6,’2”, 282 pounds, Adebawore has really been flashing his immense athleticism so far this season and turning it into significant on-the-field production—albeit during rotational reps previously:
As a pending free agent in the last year of his current rookie contract, Adebawore appears to be an ascending young player and potential building block, who the rebuilding Colts would assuredly like to keep long-term defensively, with an ample amount of projected 2027 available team salary cap space at $61.9M right now.
