INDIANAPOLIS — In Major League Baseball, the trade deadline comes and goes seemingly each year with multiple blockbuster deals, as teams establish themselves either as buyers or sellers for the remainder of the season.
That's not typically the case in the National Football League, however. While there have been some big deals done at the trade deadline in recent years, most active teams will move a piece here or there, or try to improve their draft stock, without otherwise making much noise.
So will the Indianapolis Colts be one of those more active teams come 4 p.m. Nov. 1, at this year's trade deadline?
That was an interesting question posed to Colts general manager Ryan Grigson on Monday in his weekly appearance on 1070 The Fan's "Colts Roundtable Live."
Grigson said while he certainly understands the question, there might be some "misconceptions" about an NFL team's approach at the trade deadline.
"We've done so much trading in the past, I'll usually get some text messages or some phone calls, and I'm sure there will be some coming my way," Grigson said. "And there have been."
The Colts (3-4) find themselves in an interesting position roster-wise, as they are yet to really field their fully-healthy 53-man roster in a game this season. When every player is healthy, the Colts have one of the more talented and deep rosters in the league, but some key injuries at key spots have put the team in various predicaments week-in and week-out this season.
If Indianapolis was to consider adding a piece or two via trade by Nov. 1, Grigson said those players would have to be a perfect fit for a variety of reasons.
"They've got to make sense," he said. "And there's a lot of things that we do as a staff, and if a name comes across and they don't work from a financial perspective or they're not a fit or they don't upgrade us, then that's not a situation where we're going to do anything."
The Colts are actually yet to make any trade deadline moves since Grigson became general manager in 2012. So unless the team is able to pick up a valuable draft pick or two, don't be surprised if Indianapolis is quiet once again when the clock strikes 4:01 p.m. on Tuesday.
"People are always looking for picks. It's not always player-for-player this time of year," Grigson said. "Those picks are like gold, and they're hard to part with — especially now for us."
