The Indianapolis Colts made a financial move the other day, restructuring Kenny Moore’s contract to free up $3.8 million in cap room
. According to OTC, the Colts are now projected to have about $7.9 million in available salary cap space. The timing is interesting, with Indianapolis sitting at 5–1 and leading the AFC. They should absolutely be buyers at the trade deadline — the question is, for who?Before evaluating specific players, it’s best to identify the biggest needs. The Colts’ top three are:
- Linebacker
- Cornerback
- Defensive end
We can likely rule out a starting linebacker, since those players are rarely moved midseason and it’s difficult to transition into a new defense on the fly. That leaves cornerback and defensive end as the most realistic areas to target.
Adam Schefter recently released a list of trade candidates, and three of the players he mentioned also appear on my list. That overlap makes it clear: these are names the Colts should seriously consider.
Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson would immediately give the Colts the high-level edge rusher they’ve lacked since the days of Robert Mathis. He’s been one of the most productive pass rushers in football over the last five seasons, averaging 12.5 sacks per season — top 5 in the NFL over that span. With the Bengals’ season teetering and their salary cap outlook already tight, they may be open to moving a veteran on a big contract. For Indy, Hendrickson would slot in as a day-one starter and give Lou Anarumo’s defense a legitimate game-wrecker on third down.
I don’t see Hendrickson being as expensive as in the offseason with the Bengals in sell mode and he’s only on a one year deal. The Colts wouldn’t be on the hook for a big contract extension after the season, but if they were to extend him, his price would probably be somewhere in the high $20 millionss per season over at least 4 seasons.
Trade Cost: 2nd Round Pick, maybe a 3rd Round Pick
Bradley Chubb
The Dolphins are one of the worst teams in the NFL this year and it seems things are falling apart for them. They have players turning on each other and a head coach who looks defeated. They are the perfect candidates to blow up and sell. Bradley Chubb is a premier edge rusher with 4 sacks on the year and has multiple 10+ sack seasons in his career (and on pace for another this season). His fit would be similar to Hendrickson and he’s an immediate upgrade over Kwity Paye and his addition would bolster a group that lacks a consistent game wrecker.
Chubb is a very good player, but at 29 years old and on the books (for Miami) for $31 million in 2026 and the same amount in 2027, his attractiveness goes down heavily. The Dolphins are already in some salary cap trouble and could be looking to shed off big salaries like his. There is an opt out after 2026 in his salary where the Colts can save $19 million, but they would have to eat around $23 million in 2026, so it’s not nothing. With the Dolphins in sell mode and look to shed salaries, the Colts can get a quality player for a cheap trade cost, and luckily they can afford the less-than-ideal contract.
Projected Trade Cost: 4th Round Pick, maybe a 5th Round Pick
Riq Woolen
Woolen might be the most intriguing target of all. At 6’4” with 4.26 speed, he’s a modern-day cornerback and already showed Pro Bowl upside as a rookie in 2022. His play has dipped in the last two seasons, and with the Seahawks committed to Devon Witherspoon as their CB1, Woolen’s future in Seattle is less certain than expected. For the Colts, who desperately need length and playmaking on the boundary with so many injured bodies, Woolen would be an ideal fit. He’s still on a rookie contract, still only 25, and would give Indy a cost-controlled starter who perfectly matches their defensive identity.
With Woolen playing poorly at the moment, I could see him going for cheap despite his potential and youth.
Projected Trade Cost: 4th Round Pick
