The Indianapolis Colts are in a fairly envious spot when it comes to the upcoming NFL trade deadline. Ordinarily, a young, rebuilding team like the Colts would look like a textbook definition of sellers at the trade deadline and would try to package experienced players for draft picks. That could especially be the case with these Colts who are going to be without Anthony Richardson for the rest of the season after he underwent shoulder surgery.
But Indianapolis could also be buyers. And if the right opportunities present themselves, they should do so. While it would've been nice to get a larger sample size from Richardson and get him more game reps to continue to get acclimated with the NFL game, they know they can compete with him.
The Colts went 2-2 in his starts and one of those losses came in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams. Finding out if a team can compete with a young quarterback on a rookie contract is a cheat code for NFL teams. They can stack the roster around that quarterback and take advantage of the value they have at the most important position in football.
Though Richardson has plenty to improve upon, he at least showed enough as a quarterback to give the Colts flexibility at the trade deadline. If they want to rack up draft picks, they can do that. But if they want to, they can seek talent to put alongside Richardson as well. There is a trade in mind that could accomplish just that.
Colts trade a third, fifth-round pick to Broncos for Jerry Jeudy
Why the Colts do it
The Colts do it because, as mentioned earlier, they'd be stocking up on weapons for Richardson. Indianapolis already has some good wide receivers in tow. Michael Pittman Jr. is one of the most underrated great receivers in all of football and is averaging a solid 1.81 yards per route run on the season according to Player Profiler.
Josh Downs, the Colts' rookie slot receiver from the University of North Carolina, is averaging that exact same yards per route run number and has already proven to be an outstanding find by Indy. Downs has 16 receptions on 20 targets for 243 yards and two touchdowns in his last three games.
But the Colts aren't flush with pass-catchers outside of those two. Alec Pierce, who the Colts drafted in the second-round of the 2022 NFL Draft ahead of George Pickens, hasn't been very productive at all; he has 795 yards in 23 career games. Indianapolis does have four intriguing tight ends in Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree, Mo Alie-Cox, and Will Mallory, but they have 375 yards combined between them through seven games this season. That isn't enough. They could use another weapon in their pass catcher core.
Jerry Jeudy could be that guy and projects to be a great fit next to Pittman Jr. and Downs. Pittman fits the bill of a traditional alpha X receiver, and Downs is a slot receiver to a tee, even though he can play some outside too. Jeudy would slot in nicely as a Z receiver who can win in the intermediate to deep area of the field.
Jeudy is entering the fifth-year option of his rookie contract but the Colts have money to spare with Richardson on his rookie deal. They can make the financials and logistics work.
Why the Broncos do it
The Broncos want to start over and that would include moving on from Jeudy. Jeudy has been among a number of Broncos who have been on the trade block for months and those rumors were confirmed once again by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Jeudy hasn't been what the Broncos imagined when they drafted him 15th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Getting a third and fifth round pick is not the most satisfactory return for someone the Broncos drafted 15th overall. But it is in line with what the Chiefs paid to the New York Giants for Kadarius Toney, another former first-round receiver, a year ago. For what the Broncos' priorities are right now, it's a solid return. This trade would benefit both sides.
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