What happened: Former Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard traded the Colts' 2026 and 2027 first-round picks plus wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to New York last year for cornerback Sauce Gardner. The Jets used the 2026 selection from that package to draft Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16 overall. On Tuesday, the rebuilding Colts dealt guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks for 2027 third-round and 2028 fifth-round picks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-rounder.

Why it matters: Dealing two starting linemen weakens an Indianapolis roster with 10 games left on its schedule, increasing the likelihood that the 2027 first-round pick held by New York lands high in the draft order. Alongside Indianapolis' selection and their own first-rounder, the Jets hold the higher of the Dallas Cowboys' or Green Bay Packers' 2027 first-round picks from the Quinnen Williams trade. That three-pick first-round collection gives New York significant draft capital as it works to end the NFL's longest active postseason drought.

What to watch: With the NFL trade deadline set for Nov. 10, Indianapolis—which signed running back Jonathan Taylor to a contract extension in August—has 10 remaining regular-season games that will determine the final position of New York's acquired 2027 first-round pick.