Colts could trade No. 14 pick for top-tier defender in 'desperate move'

The Indianapolis Colts will spend the offseason searching for a way to end their four-year playoff drought after deciding to run it back with the current regime.

As general manager Chris Ballard looks for a way to save his job going into his ninth season without a playoff victory since 2018, the 2025 NFL Draft will have a large impact on his staying power.

While the Colts certainly could stay put and select a prospect with the No. 14 overall pick, there's also another avenue they could pursue.

In a purely opinionated and speculative suggestion, James Boyd of The Athletic proposed a scenario in which the Colts could part ways with their first-round pick instead of using the selection on an incoming rookie.

"The most desperate move I could see Ballard making — and this is purely a guess — is trading the No. 14 pick for a Pro Bowl-caliber defensive player like he did when trading the No. 13 pick in 2020 for DeForest Buckner," Boyd wrote.

It should be noted that Boyd was clear about the suggestion being purely speculative in nature, answering a mailbag question asking what type of "short-term desperation moves" Ballard could make.

But it does bring forth an intriguing scenario. If the Colts wind up getting an All-Pro caliber defender at any of the three levels on the defensive side of the ball, it's a move Ballard has to consider.

There should be a solid pool of prospects around that range to choose from, such as Georgia safety Malaki Starks, Penn State tight end Tyler Warren or Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison — if he declares.

What type of defender the Colts could land with the No. 14 pick remains to be seen. It's unlikely they could swing a trade for Trey Hendrickson, especially given the eventual contract that would come with acquiring the star pass-rusher.

Regardless, Ballard knows he's under the gun this offseason so a move like this shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.

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