The Indianapolis Colts made several moves before the 2026 trade deadline in hopes of acquiring enough draft capital to help build a better future. Did the team get enough? Maybe not really.
Maybe Indy could have done more had it traded for running back Jonathan Taylor, but the team clearly saw him as a foundational piece to help get better faster. How much a running back matters has been tested in Taylor's career, and the grade hasn't been good.
Maybe if Indianapolis goes after a young quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft, Taylor's excellence could help keep him safer. A strong running game might not equate to wins alone, of course, but it would allow a young QB time to grow into his role a bit more.
Updated Indianapolis Colts draft picks after 2026 trade deadline
In other words, keeping Taylor doesn't mean the team is closer to the playoffs, but his presence could allow a rookie quarterback to develop a bit more slowly, just in time for the Colts to be really good by the time Taylor is closer to retirement. Harsh for the player, but possibly better for the team overall.
But after dealing left guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks, defensive lineman DeForest Buckner and wide receivers Keenan Allen to the San Francisco 49ers and Josh Downs to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Indianapolis Colts do have six more draft picks to work with in the next two seasons.
This means that whoever the new general manager is will need to be a winner on Day 3 of the draft. Iny didn't get a Day 1 or Day 2 draft choice in any of those deals. Early Day 3 can produce long-term starters, though the final day of the draft isn't expected to produce any high-end stars.
To be fair, that might matter most. A good team, one consistently chasing a playoff spot, needs more than stars, but solid producers at every position. That is what the Colts have been missing for several years. They have had Jonathan Taylor and Sauce Gardner, but depth has been a challenge. It shouldn't be with the stash of draft picks into the future.
2027 draft picks:
- Second round
- Third round
- Third round (from Seattle)
- Fourth round
- Fourth round (from San Francisco)
- Fourth round (from Kansas City)
- Fifth round
- Fifth round (from Kansas City)
- Fifth round (projected comp pick)
- Sixth round (from San Francisco)
- Sixth round (projected comp pick)
- Seventh round (from Buffalo)
Colts fans might want to skip Day 1 of the 2027 draft and only check in on Day 2. Day 3 will be must-watch, with nine picks.
2028 draft picks:
- First round
- Second round
- Third round
- Fourth round
- Fifth round
- Fifth round (from Seattle)
- Sixth round
- Seventh round
Whew! Finally, a first-round pick again. If only the fired Chris Ballard had not traded multiple first-round picks for cornerback Sauce Gardner.
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