The Indianapolis Colts are preparing for the 2020 NFL draft, which is slated to begin Thursday evening. With that, we know general manager Chris Ballard will be looking to make some trades throughout the event.
Though it is more likely that Ballard will want to move back at any particular spot in order to add more draft capital, there is also the chance he moves up if a player he really likes falls. There is also always the possibility that a player-for-pick trade is made at some point during the draft. We broke down all of Ballard’s mid-draft trades since 2017, giving us a bit of insight to his process.
Using the draft trade chart as somewhat of a reference, here are four potential trade scenarios for the Colts in the draft:
Trade up from No. 34
The Colts aren’t on the clock until the second pick in the second round after trading their first-round pick for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. While it’s more likely they move back, there is a chance Ballard wants to move up a few spots for a player he likes.
While we covered some potential trade partners earlier in the offseason, there are two that would be most likely in the wheelhouse for the Colts. That would be the San Francisco 49ers (No. 31) and the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 32). These moves would be smaller so Ballard wouldn’t have to give up a whole lot in compensation while still being able to grab a prospect they really like.
Here’s the likely trade proposal for those two spots:
- Nos. 34 and 122 for No. 31
- Nos. 34 and 160 for No. 32
There is the chance that Ballard looks to move up to the Seahawks (No. 27) spot, but that would be less likely than the two above. Ballard doesn’t want to lose more draft capital than he already has but if he wanted to move up from No. 34, those are the two most likely scenarios.
Trade back from No. 34
Trades in the draft are wildly unpredictable. It almost makes this a moot point because no one truly knows what moves will be made—even the general managers don’t know what the trade packages will be like. But moving back from No. 34 has a high probability for the Colts.
There are a lot of teams who might want to move up to that spot and with the Colts also holding the No. 44 pick, it makes the move back a little easier. For instance, the Colts could trade back from No. 34 with the Minnesota Vikings while netting the Nos. 58, 89 and 132. That would be a strong haul for the Colts, especially since they have No. 44 in their back pocket. It would also allow the Vikings to move up for a player they like and even though that price seems high, they also have two first-round picks to afford it. They’d get three top-34 players in the draft.
Trade backs like this are always tricky because they are super unpredictable, but it wouldn’t be a shock at all to see Ballard move back from No. 34 and add an extra third and a Day 3 pick.
Trade back from No. 44
Of all the scenarios, this is the most likely outcome. Ballard loves to move around in the second round, trading back and adding Day 3 picks. It has been his M.O. since taking over the general manager role for the Colts in 2017. A betting man would place his money on Ballard moving back from this spot even if it is a few spots back.
As a hypothetical, because there are so many options, the Colts could be looking at a trade partner like the Jets. They already have a strong relationship in making deals and even more so with Rex Hogan as a top front office official. The Colts might be able to swing a deal trading the No. 44 pick to the Jets for the Nos. 48 and 120. This is the exact type of deal Ballard has made a few times over the last three drafts.
There are other potential suitors for the No. 44 pick but the idea is that they can move back a few spots while adding a fourth or fifth-round pick in the process.
A Quincy Wilson trade
It is well-known that Wilson hasn’t lived up to the hype of being a second-round pick in 2017. It was one of Ballard’s biggest and earliest misses. Now in a contract year and with no role in sight, Wilson is most certainly on the trading block. Ballard has been known to make a few player-for-pick trades during a draft.
Wilson would need to be traded to a team that needs young, projectable cornerbacks working mostly in a press-man and Cover 3 scheme. There are a few teams that come to mind, but compensation would be everything here. Realistically, the Colts aren’t getting more than fourth-round pick for Wilson.
Among cornerback-needy teams with fourth-round picks include:
- New York Giants (No. 112)
- Denver Broncos (No. 118)
- Atlanta Falcons (No. 119)
- Dallas Cowboys (No. 123)
- Kansas City Chiefs (No. 138)
Wilson is still young at 23 years old. He has projectable traits and has even flashed some during the season. He simply hasn’t been able to put it together and a change of scenery is in order for the Florida product. If the Colts can net a fourth-round pick for Wilson, that’s a solid deal.
