The Indianapolis Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard after almost a full decade on the job, and some form of rebuild is now inevitable for the franchise. Head coach Shane Steichen will be retained for now, although that could change down the road.

With a different front office, the Colts will look to add draft capital and consider moving on from veteran players, especially those in the final year of their deals. That opens the door for trades before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10 under assistant general manager Ed Dodds.

Indianapolis still has a few weeks to evaluate the state of the roster. Several of these players remain good pieces, and that is the point: they are the ones who could bring back real value.

Running back Jonathan Taylor

• A to Z Sports trade simulator value: 2027 5th, 2028 2nd

Taylor is still relatively young. He’s 27 and will turn 28 by January. The Colts gave him a two-year, $44 million contract extension this offseason, so they don’t need to trade him by any means.

He’s making $23 million in 2026, but most of that came as a signing bonus that’s already paid. After that, he’s set to make $16.02 million in 2027 and $17.98 million in 2028, with no guarantees beyond his 2026 money. His 2027 salary is guaranteed only for injury until it becomes fully guaranteed in February. Therefore, the final two years essentially work as team options.

Taylor’s efficiency numbers have taken a hit, but he remains a productive back and a big part of the offensive structure. A trade would only make sense if someone offers an impactful package, something like a second-round pick or more.

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Guard Quenton Nelson

• A to Z Sports trade simulator value: 2027 2nd

Nelson is another hallmark of the Ballard administration. Ballard drafted him with the sixth overall pick in 2018, and he’s now in the final year of the extension he signed in 2022. He’s making $18 million, with $16 million of that as base salary. A trade before the deadline would open up around $8 million in cap space, or a little more depending on the week the deal is executed.

Nelson is already 30, though guards tend to play well into their 30s. If Indianapolis wants to extend him, keeping him makes sense. If not, getting draft capital back becomes important.

The franchise tag complicates things. Guards don’t have their own tag number, since one figure covers all offensive linemen. Tagging Nelson would mean paying left tackle money for a guard, which isn’t a great scenario.

The return is also uncertain because the guard market is limited. The Kansas City Chiefs traded Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears in 2025 for a fourth-round pick. That wouldn’t be enough to pry Nelson away, but a higher pick could change the math.

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Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner

• A to Z Sports trade simulator value: 2027 6th, 2028 4th

Buckner showed his frustration with the organization after the loss to the Tennessee Titans, and he’s also in the final year of his deal. He’s making $23 million, but $10 million came as an already-paid roster bonus, leaving a $13 million base salary. A deadline trade would save around $6.5 million in cap space and cash.

He’s also 32 and will most likely not be back next year. If Indianapolis wants a fresh look at the roster, moving on from Buckner makes sense on several fronts.

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Quarterback Anthony Richardson

• A to Z Sports trade simulator value: 2027 5th/7th swap

Richardson became the main symbol of why Ballard failed as a general manager. Ballard drafted him with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he was a huge disappointment at the most important position.

He’s in the fourth and final year of his rookie deal after the Colts declined his fifth-year option. Most of his 2026 salary came as a roster bonus, so his base salary is just the veteran minimum.

Indianapolis could move on if a team wants him for the rest of the season, either as a backup or for a longer look before making a final call next offseason (the Philadelphia Eagles may be a good trade partner here after losing Jalen Hurts for the season). Still, it’s hard to see the Colts getting more than a late-round pick or a late-round swap, since Richardson will most likely hit free agency anyway. With little savings involved, keeping the 24-year-old as the backup could be worth more than giving him away for nothing.

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Wide receiver Keenan Allen

• A to Z Sports trade simulator value: 2027 7th

The Colts signed Allen this offseason as a complementary piece in the passing game. He’s 34 and making $3.32 million, with just $1.3 million in base salary, so the cash savings from a trade wouldn’t be significant.

Nonetheless, Allen’s deal carries up to $5 million in incentives considered unlikely to be earned. If Indianapolis doesn’t want to risk paying those, a trade solves it. It would also be fair to Allen, an older player who wants to compete for championships, to land with a contender rather than a roster without a real shot at the playoffs.

Even a Day 3 pick in return would carry value for a team that will need as much draft capital as possible to rebuild over the next few seasons.