Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon just let the rest of the NFL know a rebuild is coming in Indianapolis after the firing of general manager Chris Ballard on Monday.

Irsay-Gordon ended Ballard's regime six games into his 10th season in charge. Indianapolis made the playoffs twice (2018 and 2020), going 1-2 in those two trips. The Colts' 72-82-1 regular-season record under his management ranked 17th in the league during Ballard's reign. Indianapolis's five straight missed playoffs represent the Colts' longest drought in over 40 years. An AFC South title never happened with Ballard.

Now, the Colts are set to start over in 2027 with a new front office. Now is the time to rebuild since the 2027 NFL Draft is widely regarded as one of the most loaded classes in years. One issue 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 some draft pick value? Well, three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner basically put out a trade request after losing 26-20 at home against the previously 0-5 Tennessee Titans in Week 6. 

"I'm sick and tired of the same song and dance every year," Buckner told reporters postgame on Sunday.  

Buckner is 32 years old and a pending free agent next spring, but he could provide an immediate impact for a team looking to contend this season. His 4.0 sacks through six weeks are tied for the 10th most in the NFL, while his 19 quarterback pressures rank as the seventh most among defensive tackles in 2026.  For a real deal contender, Buckner could be worth a third-or fourth-round pick. 

Who could inquire to be Buckner's new NFL landing spot? Let's take a look at four potential landing spots. 

San Francisco 49ers

Record: 6-0

The 49ers make too much sense. That's where Buckner played his first four seasons, culminating in San Francisco losing Super Bowl LIV to the Kansas City Chiefs to conclude the 2019 season. He was traded to the Colts for a first-round pick in the 2020 offseason. 

San Francisco is going through its regularly scheduled injury catastrophe, so it could always use more bodies. The 49ers have the oldest roster in the entire NFL, with an average age of 28.5, and they once again lead the NFL in games missed because of injury, with 118 individual games. Adding another productive defensive line piece could pay dividends now and later. 

The last time the 49ers started 6-0 was Buckner's last season in San Francisco, which culminated in a Super Bowl trip. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 5-0

The Kansas City Chiefs are in win-now mode every year with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce leading their franchise. That's even more true in 2026 with free agent acquisition running back Kenneth Walker III, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, off to a historic start this season.

One of their major weaknesses through five games is their pass rush. The Chiefs have the fourth-lowest sack rate in the entire NFL at 4.2%, and they're the only team in the whole league to not have a player with multiple sacks this season. Kansas City, as a team, has gone sackless in three of its first five games. 

Pairing Buckner with seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones could provide a major boost to both veterans as well as the Chiefs' sagging pass rush. 

Minnesota Vikings

Record: 5-0  

The Minnesota Vikings are 5-0 on the strength of defensive coordinator Brian Flores' aggressive unit. Flores' defense leads the NFL in:

• Scoring defense (12.8 points per game allowed)
• Third down defense (22.2% third down conversion rate allowed) 
• Red zone defense (27.3% red zone touchdown rate allowed)
• Goal-to-go defense (33.3% goal-to-go touchdown rate allowed)
• Completion percentage allowed (53.2%)
• Touchdown-to-interception ratio allowed (3-6)
• Sack rate (9.8%)
• Pressure rate (46.4%)
• Blitz rate (69.8%)

The Vikings' blitz rate of just under 70% is the highest by any team in any five-game span in the last 10 seasons, per CBS Sports Research. Some might call what Flores is doing early on this season "smoke and mirrors" with an outlier blitz rate, but adding a player like Buckner could solidify Minnesota's pass rush blitz or not. He could also be a nice mentor for rookie first-round pick defensive tackle Caleb Banks and another high-level contributor for Flores to incorporate into his scheme. 

Green Bay Packers

Record: 4-2  

The Green Bay Packers, a team that has been playing mix-and-match with an injury-plagued offensive line, have stabilized the unit with the same starting five combination for the last three weeks. That has also coincided with their defense leveling up during their current three-game winning streak, while not having to be on the field as often, thanks to the offense sustaining drives. Green Bay leads the NFL in scoring defense (11.3 points per game allowed) during the streak, but it needs more help along its defensive line as the season develops. 

Green Bay lost defensive tackle Javon Hargrave for the season with a torn Achilles, so it would make sense for them to place a call for Buckner. Adding Buckner to a defensive line that will get All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons back later in the year could give the Packers' defense the boost it needs to help power a deep playoff run in January and February.