- Total Trades: 2
- Average Grade: TBD (37)
This page lists all the 2026 Trades for the Indianapolis Colts. I’ve listed all of the NFL Free Agent Signing Grades here, which included the trades. Because I’ve begun posting polls for the trades, I thought it would make sense to list just the NFL trades here, so archiving the voting would be easier.
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March 2026 – Trades
Steelers acquire WR Michael Pittman Jr. from Colts for late-round pick swap
The NFL is crazy. A year ago, if you polled a thousand NFL fans, all thousand would have said that Michael Pittman Jr. is a better receiver than Alec Pierce. Yet, the Colts just gave Pierce $116 million and sent Pittman packing for a late-round pick swap. What!?
Pittman isn’t a great receiver by any means, but he’s the perfect No. 2 possession receiver, which is exactly what the Steelers needed. Pittman will be a great Robin to Pittsburgh’s Batman (DK Metcalf), and yet the Steelers barely had to give up anything for him. What an incredible trade for the Steelers.
Grade for Steelers – A+
Grade for Colts – MILLEN
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
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Packers acquire ILB Zaire Franklin from Colts for DL Colby Wooden
I wish I could give you some exciting opinions about this trade like I did below for the Maxx Crosby deal. Some Raider fans are not too happy with me, but in my 26 1/2 years running this Web site, I’ve found that the opinions of Raider fans are generally what I write about the team 6-18 months beforehand, so I know they’ll come around but also be pissed about something else I write.
This trade, however, is not exciting at all, with both teams trading their rejects to each other. Zaire Franklin is the better known of the pair, as he’s been a solid, run-defending linebacker for the Colts for several years. Franklin, however, had a putrid 2025, and now that he’s in his 30s (as of July), the regression could be permanent.
The Colts are getting the younger player, but Colby Wooden has never been nearly as good as Franklin. Wooden is a defensive lineman who can’t defend the run well and doesn’t put any pressure on the quarterback. Cue up the Bobs in Office Space when they asked, “What do you say you do here?”
I guess the Packers won this trade because Franklin could rebound and have one or two more good seasons, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Grade for Packers – B
Grade for Colts – C
Comment on the other free agent signings below.
Follow me @walterfootball for more hiring/signing grades and updates. Also, you can view theAd-Free Version of WalterFootball.com here!
