NFC West moves: Colts trade Quenton Nelson to Seahawks, DeForest Buckner to 49ers

The Colts are sending two of their most decorated players to teams in the Cardinals' division.

Oct 27, 2026, 2:42 PM

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Quenton Nelson made an All-Pro impact right from the start for the Indianapolis Colts.

The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks think he can do the same thing for their struggling ground game.

One week after team co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired general manager Chris Ballard, who drafted Nelson with the No. 6 overall pick in 2018, Nelson was dealt to the Seahawks for two draft picks. The picks are a 2027 third-rounder and a 2028 fifth-rounder, and it may signal more moves are on the way.

Nelson, the league’s third-highest paid guard, had been a stalwart on the offensive line for nearly a decade in Indy. But his contract expires after the season, and Nelson has been reluctant to discuss his future plans following the Ballard move.

In 2018, Nelson and linebacker Darius Leonard became the first rookie teammates to earn All-Pro honors since former Chicago Bears teammates Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus in 1965. Nelson was an All-Pro from 2018 to 2020, and was a major factor on the line for his entire career.

The Seahawks (4-3) wanted Nelson because the offensive line has struggled to open holes in the running game since losing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency. The hope in Seattle is that this move will make a difference.

They’ll get their glimpse at how Nelson fits Monday night when the Seahawks host the Chicago Bears (5-2).

49ers get DeForest Buckner back

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers are bringing back three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner after acquiring their former first-round pick in a trade with the Colts.

A person familiar with the deal said Tuesday that the 49ers will send a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Colts in the trade. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade can’t be finalized until after Buckner passes a physical.

ESPN first reported the deal.

Now, Nelson and Buckner will have a chance to square off as NFC West rivals when the 49ers host the Seahawks in Week 12.

Buckner was a stalwart on San Francisco’s defense after being drafted seventh overall in 2016 and will provide a big boost to an injury-depleted line this season. Buckner was a key part of the rebuild that started when coach Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch took over in 2017 and helped the Niners reach the Super Bowl in the 2019 season.

San Francisco then traded Buckner the following offseason to Indianapolis in what Shanahan and Lynch have described as one of the toughest moves they have made.

Bringing him back will be a popular move in the locker room among the veterans who played with Buckner on the Niners.

The 32-year-old Buckner is still playing at a high level with 20 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, and four sacks while playing 82% of the defensive snaps for the Colts.

San Francisco is on a bye this week and is currently in first place in the NFC West with a 6-1 record.