Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon just signaled to the rest of the NFL that they are set to undergo a rebuild after firing general manager Chris Ballard.

Irsay-Gordon ended Ballard's regime six games into his 10th year in charge. Indianapolis reached the playoffs twice (2018 and 2020), going 1-2 in those two trips under Ballard. The Colts' 72-82-1 regular-season record under his management ranked 17th in the league, middle of the pack, during Ballard's tenure. Indianapolis' five missed playoffs in a row represent the Colts' longest such streak in four decades. Indianapolis never won an AFC South title under Ballard.

Now, the Colts are set to start over in 2027 with a teardown and rebuild ahead under a new front office. The pro of starting a rebuild now is that the 2027 NFL Draft is widely regarded as one of the most talented in years. The con is that the Colts don't have a first-round pick, thanks to trading their 2026 and 2027 first-round draft choices, along with wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, to the New York Jets last season in exchange for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner.

So who could Indianapolis trade away to recoup first-round pick or second-round pick value? Well, Quenton Nelson, an eight-time Pro Bowler, is set to become one of the NFL's most desired free agents ahead of his 31st birthday. This year, Nelson is Pro Football Focus' highest-graded guard with an 89.2 offensive grade.   

He is a coveted, win-now asset who could net Indianapolis a second-round pick or maybe a first-round choice if the bidding for him heats up by the trade deadline on Nov. 10, just a few weeks away. The issue with a potential compensation package for the Colts is that Nelson would be a rental or command a top-of-the-market extension for whoever trades for him.

So who could line up to be Nelson's new NFL landing spot? 

New York Giants

Record: 3-2-1 (First in NFC East)

It appeared as though the New York Giants' 2026 season was cooked with Jaxson Dart and Brian Burns going down in the first three weeks of the season. Fast forward to the end of the first third of the year, and the Giants remain in first place in the NFC East because it's the NFC Least. This year's NFC East became the first division ever to go winless in consecutive weeks. 

That means even with J.J. McCarthy starting, the Giants still have a chance to win the division. With Dart still on his rookie deal for two more seasons in 2027 and 2028 before hitting his fifth-year option in 2029, the Giants could take a swing for Nelson in an attempt to win now and begin wooing him for the long haul ahead of his free agency next spring.

Do you know the last time a Giants interior offensive lineman made the Pro Bowl? It was all the way back in 2012 that guard Chris Snee earned the honor, when the world was a much, much different place. Trading for Nelson could be a perfect fit for New York to fix a long-time weakness, and they could structure an extension for him in a way that perfectly lines up with Dart's rookie deal. It doesn't hurt that Nelson is a New Jersey guy, starring at Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic before he enrolled at Notre Dame.

Minnesota Vikings

Record: 5-0 (First in NFC North)  

The Minnesota Vikings' offense needs a boost. Their 5-0 start has almost nothing to do with what they're doing on that side of the ball. They have scored the fewest touchdowns, nine, in a 5-0 start since the 2003 Carolina Panthers, per CBS Sports Research. Their 283.0 total yards per game, which ranks as the sixth-fewest in the NFL this season, is the worst team offense in a 5-0 start since the 1977 Denver Broncos, according to CBS Sports Research. 

They could be interested if they want to upgrade their offense and move off of undrafted free agent Joe Huber at left guard, with Donovan Jackson out for the season with a torn meniscus. Minnesota will have a phenomenal opportunity to scout Nelson in Week 7 when he and the Colts come to town to play the Vikings.  

Green Bay Packers

Record: 4-2 (Second in NFC North)    

The Green Bay Packers, a team that has been playing mix-and-match with an injury-plagued front, have stabilized their offensive line with the same starting five combination for the last three weeks. That has been a game-changer for them, as that stabilization coincides with their current three-game winning streak. But they could be in the mix, since they're rolling with aging veterans they signed off the street to start for them. Guard Laken Tomlinson, 34, is in his 12th NFL season, and 2024 sixth-round pick guard Travis Glover likely isn't a long-term solution.

Nelson is, and when the Packers can protect quarterback Jordan Love and prevent him from being pressured in the pocket, he is a markedly better quarterback. Green Bay is also quietly in an all-in window the next three years, given the structure of Micah Parsons' four-year, $186 million contract with $136 million guaranteed. Yes, the Packers don't have a 2027 first-round pick because of their trade of Parsons, but they do have the rights to their 2027 second- and third-round picks. Plus, they own their top five picks in 2028, so they could muster up a competitive package of picks to trade for Nelson. 

San Francisco 49ers

Record: 6-0 (First in NFC West)      

The San Francisco 49ers could make an all-in trade for Nelson. Quarterback Brock Purdy is playing like the best quarterback in football through the first six weeks of the 2026 season despite a litany of wide receiver injuries. With many of San Francisco's best players on the wrong side of 30 years old, the time is now for the 49ers to contend. 

They are armed with all of their 2027 draft picks through the first five rounds of the draft, and they currently have the most remaining camp space in the entire NFL this season at $41.3 million. San Francisco could get creative with the structure of a potential extension for Nelson. Investing in Nelson could also prolong the career of 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year running back Christian McCaffrey, who is now 30 years old with plenty of tread on his tires. 

Houston Texans

Record: 2-4 (Third in AFC South)        

If the Houston Texans (2-4), winners of two in a row, continue to climb, perhaps they would be interested. However, their asking price from the Colts could be higher since they're a fellow AFC South team. Being able to replace Ed Ingram, Pro Football Focus' No. 26-graded guard with a 69.1 offensive grade, with PFF's No. 1 guard could be a major boon for ascending quarterback C.J. Stroud. He ranks second in the NFL in passing yards (1,714), third in touchdown-to-interception ratio (9-1), 11th in passer rating (100.9), and tied for first in 20-yard completions (25) for a Texans squad that has now won two in a row after an 0-4 start. Imagine how much higher he and Houston could soar with Nelson blocking for him in pursuit of a third AFC South title in four years.