The Indianapolis Colts have seven picks entering the 2026 draft, but not a first-round selection. Three of the picks are in either round six or seven. This means general manager Chris Ballard might be thinking of moving some players ahead of the draft to get some more Day 2 or early Day 3 choices.
That would be the hope, of course. The issue is that a team would have to want what Indy is offering, and so far, that hasn't happened with a couple of players the team is openly shopping. Maybe Ballard wants too much for them, or maybe the players have flaws other teams don't like.
Expanding what Indianapolis has in rounds three through five would be ideal. That could even more the Colts trade back in round two or three in hopes of adding picks to those rounds. The easiest way to get more picks, though, is to trade one of the three players below.
Players the Indianapolis Colts could trade before the 2026 NFL draft
Quarterback Anthony Richardson
Richardson and the next player below are obvious trade options. The quarterback has asked for a trade, and though it has not yet happened, as we get closer to the draft, in which the quarterback class is fairly weak, the likelihood Richardson is moved increases.
No team is going to give the Colts a first- or second-round selection. He might not even be worthy of a third-round pick. Other teams know everything Indianapolis fans know, and that is that Richardson is no better than QB3 heading into next season.
Chris Ballard is making the smart move by having the quarterback and his agent do the heavy lifting when it comes to finding a trade partner. Ballard probably knows he won't get much for the quarterback, but whatever Indy gets might be known ahead of the draft.
Cornerback Kenny Moore
Moore is also openly being shopped by Indianapolis, though the player didn't appear to request a move as Richardson did. The team seems set on trying to get younger and more athletic, and Moore will be 32 years old during the 2026 season.
For that reason, Indy getting much in return for the slot cornerback probably won't be great. A fifth-round choice in return might be a big win. More likely, the Colts will get a sixth-rounder. Moore is good, but in football years, he is old.
Does Indianapolis need yet another sixth-rounder or seventh-rounder? Probably not, as the team already has three total selections in those rounds. It could be that moving Moore for nearly anything at least opens a roster spot for a younger cornerback.
Edge rusher JT Tuimoloau
Is Tuimoloau a realistic trade piece? Probably not, but the player is facing an important second season. He clearly didn't earn the trust of the coaching staff in 2025, as he rarely saw the field and wasn't impactful when he did. Is he a second-round bust? That's too early to tell.
That's important, too. Another team might see the edge rusher and think they can turn him into an immediately valuable piece and give Indy a mid-round choice. The question would be how much defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo believes in Tuimoloau. The player might just be a bad fit in Anarumo's scheme.
If that is the case, the Indianapolis Colts shipping Tuimoloau before he shows for a second straight season to begin his career, that he was a poor choice in the second round of 2025, would be wise. Hopefully, he sticks in Indy and plays well, but anything is possible when it comes to the draft.
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