Unless he starts playing like an All-Pro again, the Sauce Gardner trade will age like bad milk for the Indianapolis Colts. Not having a first-round pick this year when there are so many roster needs could end up being a disaster, and let's not even talk about 2027.
Barring a surprising trade, the Colts will sit tight while all other teams make 46 picks before them. By the time they're on the clock at No. 47, most of the day-one contributors will likely be gone, and they'll have to make a tough call.
Considering that, FanSided's NFL Draft Big Board raises an uncomfortable question for general manager Chris Ballard. With needs at wide receiver and defensive tackle, what direction to go in the second round?
The Indianapolis Colts are stuck in a tough spot at No. 47
As things stand now, the Colts might target Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell or Georgia DT Christen Miller. There's a strong case to be made for and against both selections, and the decision might be a bit more complex than it seems at first.
On the one hand, this class isn't particularly deep at defensive tackle. That's not one of the so-called impact positions, and they could probably find similar value further down or even in the free agent market. On the other hand, they do have a huge need at the interior of the defensive line, especially with Chris Wormely likely to leave and Neville Gallimore already gone.
As for Bell, he was probably a first-round-caliber talent before a torn ACL late in the season took a huge hit on his draft stock. The talent and physical tools are there, but there are red flags with players returning from injury.
The Colts could certainly use another reliable pass catcher after parting ways with Michael Pittman Jr., and while this class is deep at wide receiver, most of the high-upside guys will all be taken in the first round.
As such, even though the needs on defense are greater, Bell's chances of being a difference-maker are bigger. It would be like taking the best player available to solve a secondary need.
The best teams are usually great at finding value in the draft, regardless of how that player fits the roster. Miller is one of the few defensive tackle prospects worth a top-50 selection in this class, but Bell would've probably gone in the top 15 if it weren't for the injury.
At the end of the day, these are the tough decisions that justify a general manager's very lucrative salary. That's a good problem to have, but Ballard will have to do plenty of patching and digging to round up this roster, regardless of what he does at No. 47.
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