Indianapolis Colts fans expecting their favorite team to do much of anything at any given trade deadline is probably a foolish undertaking. General manager Chris Ballard has pulled off one deadline deal in nine seasons with the team, and that was basically only to finish a previous trade.
Could Indy use a player such as edge rusher Trey Hendrickson? Absolutely, but if the team does acquire the Cincinnati Bengals player, it will likely only be in free agency in 2026. Ballard was always unlikely to make a move for Hendrickson.
Some Indianapolis fans might feel as if their favorite team needs an inside linebacker to play next to team leader Zaire Franklin. But the truth is, the Colts might already have that guy. Indy signed Germaine Pratt earlier this season, and he is getting all the off-ball reps next to Franklin.
Indianapolis Colts appear good with Germaine Pratt being a starter at inside linebacker
He also hasn't been bad. Even while the Colts were losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9, Pratt was doing his job pretty well. He was involved in eight tackles, allowed three of his four pass targets to be completed but for only 25 yards, and had two run stuffs.
Pratt has now played in four games for Indianapolis, missed two tackles in his first game, but none in his last three. He doesn't supply anything as far as quarterback pressure, but defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's system doesn't require that.
One potential trade target for Indy could have been, like Pratt, another former Bengals player. Logan Wilson started at inside linebacker for Cincy for much of the past four seasons, but this year has been relegated to being a rotational player. He also hasn't historically done anything that Pratt can't do.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Wilson was traded from Cincinnati to the Dallas Cowboys hours before the trade deadline in return for only a seventh-round draft pick. That kind of price implies Cincinnati was just glad to be rid of Wilson.
The move also implies that Chris Ballard probably didn't waste time thinking of potentially trading for Logan Wilson. If he had, a seventh-rounder would not have been much to give up. Instead, Ballard probably took a look at his and head coach Shane Steichen's roster, noticed Germaine Pratt's name at inside linebacker next to Zaire Franklin, and thought, "Yep, we are set there."