The Indianapolis Colts may be headed for a fire sale at the NFL trade deadline, and that would be great news for the Pittsburgh Steelers, particularly when it comes to a few star players who could be available.
ESPN's Stephen Holder first pointed out that the Colts' decision to fire their general manager and retain their head coach "strongly suggests" a multitude of trades could be coming. For the Steelers, All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson, veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward, and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner would be perfect trade targets.
Firing your GM and not a coach (or coaches) strongly suggests we might be headed for a fire sale here. It was going to happen eventually, but doing it now is a deliberate choice, as Carlie
Irsay-Gordon said in her statement.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 19, 2026
Nelson, a nine-year NFL veteran and three-time First-Team All-Pro, has been exceptionally durable while solidifying himself as one of the best interior offensive linemen in the league. Nelson is on the final year of his contract and has been linked as a potential trade candidate. Plus, the Steelers have lacked that veteran leadership on the offensive line since Pro Bowler Isaac Seumalo departed the team in free agency.
Ward is also currently in Year 9 and has been a multi-year starter for the Kansas City Chiefs (2018-2021), San Francisco 49ers (2022-2024), and the Colts (2025-2026). He has appeared in 115 games and made 102 starts, recording 10 interceptions, 81 passes defended, and 478 combined tackles.
Buckner, 32 years old and currently in his 11th season, likely wouldn't demand much trade capital and could instead be viewed as a short-term rental. Considering that the Steelers placed promising second-year defensive tackle Derrick Harmon on injured reserve and that defensive tackle Keeanu Benton hasn't exactly lived up to his new $72 million extension, a move for Buckner would make sense.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Colts' trade update could be great news for Steelers
