PHOENIX – It's not often you see teams trade a player that just one year prior, had been re-signed to a long-term deal.
But that's what the Colts did earlier this month in sending tight end Dwayne Allen and a sixth-round pick to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round selection.
Chuck Pagano calls the trade a "win/win."
Let's look at it from the Colts' side of things.
The Colts received a fourth-round pick in return for Allen.
It has given them a third fourth rounder in 2017, stockpiling this year's draft total to seven selections in the first five rounds---something the organization hasn't had for more than decade.
A month ago, examining the tight end draft class for 2017 was probably not top of mind for fans of the Horseshoe.
If fans haven't taken a look, they will like what they see.
"It's a great tight end (draft) class," Chris Ballard said at this week's Annual League Meetings. "There's guys who can really block, there's mismatch tight ends who can really create some significant mismatches.
"After being a part of Travis Kelce (in Kansas City) and Greg Olsen (in Chicago) those are tremendous weapons to have and add to your offense. They're very hard to match up against. I don't ever want to discount a playmaker at that position."
A day before Ballard made this statement in Phoenix, Chuck Pagano was doing his own gushing about watching the prospective tight ends workout at the NFL Combine.
If the Colts do follow through and tap into the deep tight end pool during next month's draft, that player will join a position group headlined by Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox.
That's where the other reasoning for making this trade comes into play.
When Ballard started to dissect the 2016 film of the Colts, 84 and 86 impressed.
Ballard says Doyle stands for everything the Colts want in a player. He will now ascend into the No. 1 tight end position, where a more vocal role is needed out of him.
In Swoope, Ballard sees an extremely high ceiling with mismatch ability that the Colts can use in the passing game. If Swoope can continue to develop in the blocking game, the departing strength of Allen, the Colts will have two young tight ends that could ease what was lost in the trade.
"We love the way those two guys have developed," Pagano says of Doyle and Swoope. "Those guys are hard workers. Reliable, dependable, hard working.
"We feel really good about that position."
The analysis from those producing content on Colts.com does not necessarily represent the thoughts of the Indianapolis Colts organization. Any conjecture, analysis or opinions formed by Colts.com content creators is not based on inside knowledge gained from team officials, players or staff.
