The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off a frustrating Week 6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fortunately, the NFL news cycle handed Bucs fans something better to talk about on Monday: The Indianapolis Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard after a 26-20 home loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Any time a GM gets fired, it sends ripples across the league. With the Colts in their current state, it could also open the door to a fire sale. Two names in particular should have the Buccaneers kicking the tires. Both would be massive upgrades, and both could help Tampa Bay get back on track and salvage the 2026 season.

Quenton Nelson would transform the Buccaneers’ offensive line

The first name that comes to mind is Colts guard Quenton Nelson. He’s a perennial Pro Bowler, and PFF currently grades him as the best guard in the NFL. Grades aren’t gospel, but the numbers back it up. Nelson has an overall grade above 88. He’s allowed only six pressures and one QB hit through six games, and he has yet to give up a sack. His run blocking has been up to par, as well.

Nelson would immediately upgrade the left guard spot over Ben Bredeson. That isn’t a knock on Bredeson, who has been a solid starter in Tampa Bay. However, he’s a high-floor, low-ceiling player who simply doesn’t have the skill set to reach that elite level.

Bringing in Nelson would send Bredeson to the bench (or maybe he’s included in the trade), which creates valuable depth at guard and center, considering Bredeson played center early last season when the Bucs shuffled the offensive line while awaiting Tristan Wirfs’ return.

Then there’s Cody Mauch. The right guard has been disappointing through six games and he’s also in the final year of his contract. If Mauch walks after the season, Nelson could slide over to right guard. Nobody on the roster can replace Mauch at a high level, so that would save Tampa Bay from spending big in free agency or using a high draft pick.

So what would it cost? After running it through the A to Z Sports Trade Simulator. A third-round pick leaned too heavily toward Tampa Bay, but a second-round pick made things fair.

If I’m Jason Licht, I’m taking that all day. The Bucs might spend that pick on an offensive lineman next year anyway, and nobody knows how that player would turn out. Nelson is already elite, even in his age-30 season.

Imagine him lined up next to Wirfs. That would be the best left side of any offensive line in the NFL. It would also help center Graham Barton in a big way during a crucial year, as Tampa Bay has to decide on his fifth-year option after the season.

The trade would cost the Buccaneers about $10.7 million in cap space, leaving roughly $4.7 million. That’s plenty of in-season operating money.

The bigger issue is Nelson’s next deal. He’s in the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract. If he’s the best guard in football, the Bucs will likely have to pay him north of the $25 million per year Titans guard Peter Skoronski received in August. That means the Buccaneers would have three offensive linemen making more than $22 million annually, which is a fair concern. 

Still, if I’m Jason Licht, I’m pulling the trigger. Simply because it all starts up front. The coaching staff deserves plenty of blame for the current funk the team is in, but the Bucs also need better players. Nelson would be another foundational piece for the next three to four years.

Charvarius Ward is a potential bargain the Buccaneers can’t ignore in a hypothetical trade

The second name is cornerback Charvarius Ward. He’s a big, physical corner who thrives in man coverage and uses his length, speed, and size to press receivers at the line.

Jacob Parrish and Zyon McCollum are playing at a high level. Ward would essentially replace Benjamin Morrison. Morrison missed another game with a quad injury, and the Bucs simply can’t rely on him to stay healthy. That matters because Todd Bowles’ defense needs the secondary to play at a high level for the whole defense to click.

Ward hasn’t recorded an interception since 2023, when he picked off five passes, made the Pro Bowl, and led the NFL with 23 pass breakups. He’s played in only 19 games over the last two seasons. In 2024, Ward lost his 23-month-old daughter, an unimaginable tragedy. That kind of loss would affect anybody, and Bucs fans who remember Shaq Barrett’s own heartbreak can empathize. He then dealt with concussion issues in 2025 before the Colts eventually shut him down for the year.

He’s bounced back nicely in 2026. Ward is allowing a completion rate under 50 percent, quarterbacks own roughly a 57 passer rating when targeting him, and he hasn’t allowed a touchdown. He also has four forced incompletions.

It makes sense from a roster standpoint, too. Parrish could become the official nickel and still play 60 to 70 percent of snaps, since Tampa Bay treats nickel as a starting role. Morrison would provide depth when healthy.

The trade simulator valued Ward at 177 points, compared to Nelson’s 835. A fifth-round pick leaned Colts, while a sixth leaned Buccaneers. The deal would cost $8.8 million in cap space, leaving the Buccaneers about $6.6 million in 2026 cap room after the trade. A fifth- or sixth-rounder for a former Pro Bowl corner is a no-brainer.

Would Indianapolis take that? I think so. Ballard did a poor job building this roster, and the Colts don’t have a first-round pick next year because of the Sauce Gardner trade. Draft picks should carry plenty of appeal.

I don’t expect Tampa Bay to trade for both players, but one is a possibility. Still, both fit, and both would raise the team’s ceiling considerably. The Colts may have just handed the Bucs an opportunity or two, and Licht should at least pick up the phone and see what’s up.