On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts made two massive deals, trading away franchise cornerstone players Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner.
So what grades did Seth Walder over at ESPN give the Colts for these trades? Let's take a look.
Colts grade for Quenton Nelson trade
For this trade, the Colts received a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick from Seattle. Nelson was in the final year of his deal.
The Pro Bowl left guard continues to play at a high level, ranking third among guards in PFF's pass-blocking efficiency metric and seventh in run-blocking grade. Obviously, with the Colts in rebuild mode, the objective was to get as much premium draft capital as possible.
What Seth Walder had to say: "Ultimately, this is a win-win trade. Considering Seattle's contention window,
positional (and overall offensive) need, the draft capital required and Nelson's contract, this is a sound move."
Walder's grade: B+
Colts grade for DeForest Buckner trade
In this deal, the Colts landed a 2027 fourth-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers. Like Nelson, Buckner is in the final year of his contract and is set to be a free agent in the offseason. By moving on from Buckner now, the Colts get draft capital in return.
Entering Week 8, Buckner has the 15th most quarterback pressures of any defensive tackle in football.
What Walder had to say: "Perhaps this was the best offer Indianapolis received for Buckner today, but they also didn't have to trade Buckner right now. There are two weeks left until the Nov. 10 trade deadline. I would have thought they could have at least squeezed another Day 3 pick in addition to the fourth-rounder."
Walder's grade: B-
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: ESPN grades Colts' DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson trades
