Colts must perform one last-minute deal before the NFL 2023 deadline

When it comes to the approaching NFL trade deadline, the Indianapolis Colts are in a somewhat envious position.

At the trade deadline, a young, rebuilding team like the Colts would often aim to package experienced players for draft picks and appear like a textbook example of sellers. This may be particularly true for the Colts, who will be missing Anthony Richardson for the remainder of the campaign due to shoulder surgery.

Indianapolis, though, might also be a buyer. And they ought to act upon them if the proper circumstances arise. They know they can compete with Richardson, even though it would have been good to have a bigger sample size and give him more game experience to help him continue to become accustomed to the NFL.

During his starts, the Colts had a 2-2 record; one of those defeats occurred in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams. For NFL teams, determining whether to take a young quarterback on a rookie contract and see if they can compete is a cheat code. By building their roster around that quarterback, they may capitalize on their value at the most crucial position in football.

Richardson still has a lot to learn, but as a quarterback, he at least demonstrated enough to give the Colts options around the trade deadline. They are free to accumulate draft selections if they so want. However, they are free to look for talent to complement Richardson as well. We have a trade in mind that might make it happen.

Colts trade a third, fifth-round pick to Broncos for Jerry Jeudy

Why the Colts do it

The Colts take this action because, as was previously established, they would be preparing to arm Richardson. There are already some talented wide receivers in Indianapolis. According to Player Profiler, one of the best underappreciated wide receivers in sport is Michael Pittman Jr., who is averaging a respectable 1.81 yards per route run this season.

The rookie slot receiver Josh Downs of the Indianapolis Colts, who attended the University of North Carolina, is averaging precisely the same number of yards every route run and has already shown himself to be a fantastic pick by Indy. In his last three games, Downs has caught 16 passes on 20 targets for 243 yards and two scores.

Other than those two pass-catchers, though, the Colts lack depth in that area. The Colts selected Alec Pierce in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, one pick ahead of George Pickens, but he has only produced 795 yards in 23 career games. Although Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree, Mo Alie-Cox, and Will Mallory are four promising tight ends for Indianapolis, their aggregate yardage through seven games this season is just 375. That is insufficient. They might equip their pass catcher core with an additional weapon.

Jerry Jeudy seems like a fantastic fit next to Pittman Jr. and Downs, and he could be that guy. Pittman is a perfect example of a conventional alpha X receiver, and Downs, despite his ability to play some outside, is a slot receiver. As a Z receiver with success in the intermediate to deep region of the field, Jeudy would fit right in.

With Richardson still in his rookie contract, the Colts have money to spare even though Jeudy is about to reach the fifth year of his deal. They are capable of handling the logistics and finances.

Why the Broncos do it

The Broncos want to rebuild, and part of that plan is to let go of Jeudy. Jeudy is one of several Broncos who have been linked to trades for months; Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reaffirmed those speculations. When the Broncos selected Jeudy with the 15th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, their expectations weren’t met.

For a player the Broncos selected with the 15th overall pick, receiving a third and fifth round selection is hardly the best return. However, it is comparable to what the Chiefs paid the Giants last year for another former first-round receiver, Kadarius Toney. It’s a good return considering the Broncos’ current priorities. Both parties would gain from this trade.