Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard is rarely active at the NFL trade deadline. He has made one deal in his eight previous years, swapping running backs with the Buffalo Bills in 2022.
But the Colts are in a rare position this year. They have the NFL’s best record approaching the season’s halfway point and may be looking for a piece that could keep them at the top of the standings the rest of the year.
They have the NFL’s top performing offense, so they could look for players to bolster coordinator Lou Anarumo’s defensive unit.
Deals must be done by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, Nov. 4. Would you favor any of these moves?
NFL trade deadline 2025: What moves could the Indianapolis Colts make?Patra considers cornerback the Colts’ biggest need.”I’m lumping two Bengals together because they could make sense for depth adds in a reunion with (Colts defensive coordinator) Lou Anarumo. The Colts defense has concerns at all three levels, particularly with injuries up front and in the secondary. Indy already added former Bengal Germaine Pratt to the mix. Wilson has seen his role reduced in Cincy, but he would be a playmaker Anarumo can trust in the middle of the defense. Likewise, Taylor-Britt was benched for a spell after ineffective play. He has struggled mightily the past two years, including under Anarumo in 2024. However, he’d give the corner crew some depth and is familiar with the defense. A fresh start could rejuvenate his career.”Orr believes getting Hendrickson would cost them 2026 third- and conditional fourth-round draft picks.”Hendrickson tidily reunites with his former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in a move that firmly stamps the Colts as Super Bowl contenders. Hendrickson is a great buy-low option for the Colts, who, in this scenario, wait out the Bengals until the last moment after Cincinnati loses to the Bears in Week 9 and decides to recoup some assets after its admirable attempt at an all-in season. Hendrickson joins a rotation with Kwity Paye and the excellent second-year edge rusher Laiatu Latu, helping Anarumo create increased chaos up front, with a slate of games coming up against quarterbacks who either struggle with escapability or have extreme deficiencies on the offensive line. Indianapolis still has two games against the offensive line-needy Texans, and Hendrickson can provide a boot to the throat of any potential comeback.”Knox believes acquiring Wooten, who will be a free agent after this season, would cost the Colts a 2026 third-round draft pick.”Woolen, who has 44 passes defended and 11 interceptions on his resume, isn’t going to come cheaply, even if it will require an extension to keep him long-term.”Knox believes Wilson would cost the Colts a conditional 2026 sixth-round draft pick.”Moving Wilson would make plenty of sense. He’s seen reduced playing time as new defensive coordinator Al Golden has turned to younger linebackers. Despite starting seven of eight games, he’s played just 67% of the defensive snaps while also playing an expanded special-teams role.”Bill Barnwell, ESPN: Cornerback, quarterback and kicker are Indy’s biggest needsOn cornerbacks: “Indy played late-summer additions Mekhi Blackmon and Cameron Mitchell and undrafted free agent Johnathan Edwards as its three top outside cornerbacks in Sunday’s blowout win over the Titans.”On quarterback: “With Anthony Richardson Sr. out indefinitely and struggling badly when he has played, the next man up would be sixth-round pick Riley Leonard, who is yet to throw an NFL pass. A veteran backup to shore things up behind Jones would be a logical hedge for a Colts team with aspirations of playing deep into January.”Gagnon believes the Colts would also send a middle-round draft to Las Vegas and receive CB Eric Stokes.”At this point, it’s pretty obvious Daniel Jones is the Colts’ guy, and equally obvious that Geno Smith is not the guy in Las Vegas. So, it would make sense for the Raiders to bring in a potential reclamation project who could be in the mix for the 2026 starting job.”What day is the NFL trade deadline? NFL trade deadline date and time
4 p.m. ET Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.