How Much Are Colts' Best Players Worth On Trade Market?

The NFL has been fairly active in recent years when it comes to moving big-time stars through the trade market, especially in the last year.

We've seen players such as Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams, A.J. Brown, D.J. Moore, and Sauce Gardner move, which is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Indianapolis Colts have been involved in the action, sending two first-round draft picks and wide receiver AD Mitchell to the New York Jets in exchange for Gardner. Ultimately, their new cornerback was too banged up last year to make a significant impact, but they hope their fortune changes in 2026 now that he's healthy.

After a year of pricey trades around the NFL, ESPN's Bill Barnwell attempted to assign trade value to each team's stars.

"This is an attempt to reflect how the league views players as opposed to my personal opinion, although my thoughts are naturally going to be part of the conversation," Barnwell said. "And I've had to evolve after seeing how the league has approached the past 12 months."

Here's what Barnwell had to say about the Colts.

"Two first-round picks: CB Sauce Gardner. With the benefit of hindsight, I'm not sure the Colts would trade two first-round picks for Gardner again, given that they lost Daniel Jones shortly thereafter and ended up missing the postseason entirely," Barnwell wrote. "As a 24-year-old with multiple first-team All-Pro appearances under his belt, though, Gardner's an elite player who should still have years of excellent football ahead. I like his chances of exceeding expectations after a full offseason under Lou Anarumo in Indianapolis."

With Gardner only playing two full games and exiting two others early, it's difficult to think he'd go for two first-round picks again, but that's what the Colts paid for him just eight months ago. The Colts made the move with the thought that he'd put them over the top and not only help get them into the playoffs, but also to a Super Bowl sooner rather than later.

A calf injury spoiled Gardner's debut season in Indianapolis, but he was effective while on the field. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed a 48.6% completion percentage when targeted while tying for second in the NFL among corners in forced incompletion rate (26%). His overall defensive grade (76.9) ranked ninth among NFL corners.

"One first-round pick and more: Edge Laiatu Latu. The 15th pick in the 2024 draft, Latu quietly took an important step forward in his second season with the Colts, racking up 8.5 sacks and 20 knockdowns," said Barnwell. "He's also a solid run defender with the physicality to reliably take on offensive linemen pulling his way. He's not as exciting or as promising as Jared Verse, but I'm not sure there's a huge gap between the two as they each enter Year 3 of their respective careers."

The Colts could perhaps get a first-rounder for Latu given the common view of him as a rising star, but his value would mostly be projection. He's got 12.5 sacks through two seasons after being made the first defensive player chosen in the 2024 draft, but he's clearly been getting better and more disruptive. The Colts think he's going to pass the double-digit sack marker in 2026.

"One first-round pick: TE Tyler Warren. Warren was everything the Colts could have asked for as a rookie, when his versatility and ability with the ball in his hands made him an incredibly useful part of the Indianapolis offense," per Barnwell. "The issue is simply that teams don't typically trade first-round picks or even use them for tight ends. Warren's status as a mid-first-rounder in the 2025 draft and his success as a rookie would lead more teams to consider him as a useful option."

Warren is the Colts' most recent first-round pick, and he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, so a first-round value is probably legit. He's not only a mismatch for offenses, with his sure hands and ability to pick up yards after the catch, but he's the total package as a tight end with the ability to block in the run or pass game

"Missing out: DT DeForest Buckner, G Quenton Nelson, WR Alec Pierce, RB Jonathan Taylor. Four excellent players with four different cases," Barnwell wrote. "Buckner was still extremely impactful on tape in 2025, but he suffered a neck injury and then reaggravated it after returning late in the season. That would give teams pause for a player who turned 32 in March, even one as talented as Buckner.

"Nelson and Taylor are both playing at a high level, but they play guard and running back, respectively," Barnwell continued. "Nelson's younger than Joe Thuney, but consider that the Chiefs got only a fourth-round pick when they dealt their veteran guard to the Bears last offseason. Pierce had a breakout year and offers the sort of downfield speed teams covet, but there are undoubtedly teams that see his new contract and its $28.5 million average salary as too rich for Pierce's established level of production."

Buckner's trade value is likely nonexistent as a 32-year-old coming off neck surgery, at least until he can return and prove he's still an effective player. Being in the final year of his contract helps the value, but his $26.6 million salary cap hit doesn't.

Nelson, 30, is still an outstanding player, but as he enters the final year of his contract, his next deal is likely to be north of $20 million per year. He's got trade value, but likely not as an early-round return.

Pierce is interesting. His $28.5 million-per-year price tag is quite rich, but he would've had numerous suitors on the open free agent market before returning to the Colts in March. He's still 26, coming off his first 1,000-yard season, and has led the NFL in yards per catch for two consecutive years. A team would likely be willing to "overpay" for him.

Similar to Pierce, Taylor is coming off of what was arguably his best season, totaling 20 touchdowns and nearly 2,000 yards from scrimmage, but he's going into the final year of his contract and will be 28 years old shortly after the season ends. His next deal will likely be expensive, but not long-term. A team would likely be willing to shell out real value for him, but unlikely a first-round pick.