The 2026 NFL trade deadline is exactly two weeks away and two teams are already on the board with a big move. The Indianapolis Colts are sending six-time All-Pro guard Quentin Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

By trading Nelson, a captain and leader of their offense, just one week after they fired general manager Chris Ballard, the Colts are signaling to the league that they're officially trade deadline sellers, and the Chicago Bears should take that as a green light to take a big swing on another long-time Indianapolis Colt: two-time All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.

DeForest Buckner is the missing link for Dennis Allen's defense

A two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, Buckner has been the heart and soul of Indy's defense since he was traded there from San Francisco in 2020. He's past his prime at 32, but his start to the 2026 season has shown that he still has plenty left in the tank. Buckner has already racked up four sacks in seven games, and his 91.2 impact grade from Pro Football Network is the fifth-best mark for all defensive tackles.

In short, Buckner is exactly what Dennis Allen's defense is missing. While this unit has shown general improvement from last year, it's still hard to trust this defense to help carry the Bears on a Super Bowl run. Sure, there's been injury issues, but injury issues happen every year to every team. That shouldn't stop the Bears from making an aggressive push to add an All-Pro caliber defender to a defensive line currently lacking serious firepower.

In case you needed any perspective on how little juice exists on Chicago's defensive front, cornerback Kyler Gordon is currently the team leader in sacks with four, and he missed the first five games of the season. There's a reason why all three of my top trade candidates for the Bears were defensive linemen.

The Bottom Line

It doesn't get more simple than this: the Colts have what the Bears need and they're willing to sell it. The Bears just need to pony up the draft compensation necessary to add a proven veteran who could help take them on a Super Bowl run. What the Colts would desire in a trade for Buckner is unknown, but I wouldn't imagine it'd be higher than what they got for Nelson.

If a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick would be enough to pry Buckner away from the Colts, then general manager Ryan Poles should already be on the phone making that deal. It's not like his track record with third-round picks is worth writing home about.