Seahawks trade two draft picks for Colts guard Quenton Nelson

A Super Bowl-caliber win put Seattle's front office in a trading mood.

The Seahawks acquired left guard Quenton Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, sending a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to the Colts. The deal is pending a physical. It comes two days after Seattle beat the previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.

Nelson, 30, has made eight straight Pro Bowl teams and has started at left guard since he entered the lineup at Notre Dame 13 years ago. He would take over at left guard, which would move Grey Zabel, Seattle's 2025 first-round pick, to right guard. Zabel started about half of his 41 games at North Dakota State on the right side and can also play center. Anthony Bradford, back from injury, would be the top backup guard.

The Seahawks have given up 10 sacks in their two most recent losses. Nelson is in the last year of a four-year, $80 million contract. Over the Cap projects Seattle will hold five compensatory picks in the 2027 draft, one in Round 3, one in Round 4, two in Round 5 and one in Round 6, plus a third-round pick in 2028.

General manager John Schneider has traded for players on expiring contracts before. He sent second- and fifth-round picks for Leonard Williams in 2023, a fourth-round pick and a player for Ernest Jones IV in 2024, and a fourth- and fifth-round pick for Rashid Shaheed in 2025. All three signed multiyear deals with Seattle afterward.

The Seahawks sit at 4-3 and outside playoff position as the season nears its midpoint. San Francisco leads the NFC West by 2 1/2 games over Seattle and beat the Seahawks 32-29 at Lumen Field on Oct. 11. Sam Darnold has thrown eight interceptions against eight touchdowns and has turned the ball over in five straight games. Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the NFL in receiving yards.

The defense held Kansas City to 213 yards on Sunday, the fewest in a regular-season start by Patrick Mahomes. Fullback Brady Russell addressed the team's standing afterward: "So many people are doubting that we're the team that we were last year. And we aren't the team that we were last year. We're the 2026 Seahawks."

Nelson will play left guard for Seattle once he passes his physical.