The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2026 offseason with plenty of unresolved issues. They have a handful of significant pending free agents, including Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce. They have some decent cap flexibility but limited draft capital. And they have several fairly obvious roster holes.
How likely is it that general manager Chris Ballard will go the trade route to fill some of those holes? He has certainly been willing to make deals in the past. This past season, he even pulled off a major in-season trade, acquiring cornerback Sauce Gardner for a couple of first-round picks. Would he be inclined to make another significant trade this offseason?
According to Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, he might. He recently put together a list of trade targets for each of the NFL’s 32 teams. Though Ballentine does not gauge the likelihood of any individual deal, he does a good job of spelling out why each team might be interested in a particular player and why that particular player might be available.
Three defenders listed among possible trade targets for the Indianapolis Colts
The three targets Ballentine chooses for Indy are defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (Giants), and linebackers Roquan Smith (Ravens) and Patrick Queen (Steelers). Those positions make a lot of sense if Chris Ballard goes in search of a trade.
Despite the pending free agency of Jones and Pierce, the Colts need far more help on defense than on offense. That doesn't mean finding another receiver should Pierce depart, and another reliable running back to share the load with Jonathan Taylor, won't be tall orders.
But the defense needs a lot more help. Though the secondary struggled throughout the 2025 season, that is not where Ballentine has Ballard looking. And with good reason. Assuming good health next year, the Colts should have Gardner, Justin Walley, and Kenny Moore as their primary corners. If Charvarius Ward chooses not to retire, the Colts will go from a questionable group of corners to arguably the best cohort in the NFL.
At safety, if Nick Cross is re-signed, Indy should remain solid. Even if he departs, the Colts have a contingency plan in the form of Hunter Wohlers.
But across the front seven, the future is not so bright. There is a profound lack of depth at linebacker. The interior linemen are old. And the edge rushers – apart from Laiatu Latu – are mediocre. The Colts need skill and depth across the front seven on defense.
That is where Ballentine focuses his targets. Here’s a quick snapshot of each.
Dexter Lawrence
Lawrence is a bit of a unicorn. A mammoth man – 6’4” and 340 pounds – with elite athleticism, who routinely blows up double teams and makes plays. What’s more, he is still only 28 years old.
In the games I saw him play this season, he was not quite as dominant as he has been in the past. Is that a worrisome sign of decline? If it is, it’s minimal. Lawrence at 75% is better than most interior linemen at 100. He makes any defense he plays with better.
The problem is, I simply don’t think Dexter Lawrence will be available. He will indeed be carrying more than 26 million dollars per season for the remaining two years of his contract, but Lawrence is worth it. John Harbaugh is not likely to move on from the dominant force in the middle of his defense – at least not right away.
Patrick Queen
When he played alongside Roquan Smith in Baltimore, Queen was a force. Pittsburgh lured him away from the Ravens in 2024, and he did make the Pro Bowl that year. But Queen's play seems to have fallen off from its glory days in Baltimore.
At 26, he has plenty of talent and athleticism, but with the Steelers, he seems to be more of a one-dimensional pass rusher. That alone would hold some interest for the Colts, but not enough for Ballard to give up anything more than a late-round draft pick.
Roquan Smith
The logic behind trading for either Queen or his former Raven teammate, Roquan Smith, is that Indy might consider releasing Zaire Franklin and use the savings to upgrade. Franklin struggled some this season under Lou Anarumo’s scheme, but the veteran did eventually settle in. I’m not sure Ballard is seriously considering cutting his leading tackler.
That being said, if Roquan Smith is available, Ballard has to at least kick the tires on a deal. Smith is exactly who the Colts need. He is fast and tenacious, chasing down opposing ball carriers as effectively as any second -level defender in the league. He can also drop into coverage or rush the passer. His great acumen and flexibility allow a defensive coordinator to get creative.
Smith was first or second team All-Pro every year from 2020 to 2024. Last year, like Dexter Lawrence, he may have fallen off a tiny bit. Also like Lawrence, Smith is just 28 and should have a number of good days ahead of him.
Bottom line – I think Lawrence is a bit of a pipe dream, and that Queen has become a one-dimensional pass rusher. But Roquan Smith is special. If Ballard has a chance to bid on a player like that, he needs to pursue it ASAP.