Shane Steichen has just announced another NFL trade deadline, which is…
In recent years, the NFL has expanded pretty much everything. There are more games and playoff matchups in the league than ever before.
However, since 2012, the NFL trade deadline has not changed.
This season, the Indianapolis Colts might have benefited from an NFL trade deadline that fell at least a few weeks later.
Not just the Colts. Thirteen NFL teams are currently within 1.5 games of a wild card position but are not in a playoff spot as of Week 9.
The Colts and other teams in the playoff purgatory weren’t buyers on Tuesday. However, they weren’t exactly vendors either.
Of the 13 teams that were “striking distance” from a postseason berth on Tuesday, only the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Commanders made a major player trade.
And for the commanders’ trades to happen, they had to be in a special scenario involving two elite players.
What are the Colts’ next moves? Keep up with all the news and analysis! Simply enter your email address to receive daily updates on breaking Colts news by subscribing to our free newsletter!
Julian Blackmon or Michael Pittman Jr. were both tradeable by the Colts. Montez Sweat and Chase Young, two defensive linemen, have contracts that are about to expire. On Tuesday, Sweat and Young were traded by Washington.
However, Indianapolis’ chances of fielding a capable wide receiver and safety corps, as well as remaining competitive for the remainder of 2023, would have been significantly harmed by the loss of Pittman and Blackmon.
If the Colts had been assured of their elimination from the race, those moves would have been more sensible. But they’re not going to Week 9.
The Colts didn’t trade anyone away because of this. Since they aren’t really contenders at 3-5, they also didn’t acquire anyone.
If the Colts started November with two or three straight victories, that might change. However, general manager Chris Ballard will have missed the opportunity to add a player to the roster by then.
However, things would be different if the NFL’s trade deadline fell on November 15 or even November 22 rather than October 31.
By Thanksgiving, the Colts will most likely either be eliminated from the running for the playoffs or know for sure if Gardner Minshew can lead Indianapolis there.
Moreover, the Colts would probably be less concerned about holding onto a player to ensure they have enough bodies at a position by the next holiday since there would be fewer games left.
Compared to previous years, current NFL general managers have demonstrated a far greater interest in trades. However, a Halloween trade deadline is too early, with 14 playoff spots and one extra week of play left in the season.
Even now, the 2-6 Chicago Bears are only two games out of the final NFC wild card spot.
To put it plainly, not enough sellers were available on Tuesday to provide an extremely engaging NFL trade deadline. Removing the NFL trade deadline is the best way to increase the number of possible trades and assist teams like the Colts in making better long-term decisions.
