Quenton Nelson spent the past dozen seasons in Indiana, going from Notre Dame to the Colts, before this week’s trade to Seattle jolted his career path.
"The reaction, I've got to admit, was a little bittersweet," Nelson said Thursday, via ESPN. "I formed a lot of great relationships in Indy. Great community there. But definitely excited for this next chapter."
The Seahawks acquired the eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a fifth-rounder in 2028. Nelson had been the subject of trade rumors since Indy fired general manager Chris Ballard after a 2-4 start. Nelson was asked if he had any say in where he was traded.
"No, I met with [interim Colts GM Ed Dodds] the day before the trade and he told me that they were fielding calls and there were a few teams interested, one of them being Seattle," Nelson said. "But he said, 'How do I feel about it?' I was like, 'If that's what you guys got to do, then great.' I was happy when he called me in the next day and told me it's Seattle."
Nelson's arrival bumps second-year guard Grey Zabel over to the right side, while Anthony Bradford, in a contract year, heads to the bench. Seattle has struggled to open up holes in the running game, and Sam Darnold has repeatedly seen defenders in his lap through the early part of the season. Nelson's entrance could fix both problems.
"I think the style of play is the first thing you think of when you think of Quenton," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "Obviously, he's got incredible ability, but the physicality, the relentless play, we talk about decisive, shocking, relentless -- that's probably a good way to sum up what it looks like on tape.
"It's going to be a process. We've put a lot of time and effort into the chemistry of our offensive line, and we've got a couple things shaken up right now, but the guys will do a great job of meshing and getting on the same page, and I think we'll be better for it."
The 30-year-old is in the final year of his contract. Seattle has made a habit of not immediately inking new acquisitions to extensions, but rather keeping them in-house after a successful run -- Leonard Williams, Rashid Shaheed. Right now, Nelson isn't worrying about his contract status.
"I haven't really thought about it," Nelson said about his contract situation. "I'm just excited to be here and going to do my best and control what I can control."
The Seahawks' trade jumpstarted the NFC race to bulk up before the deadline. Rival San Francisco responded by trading for Nelson's former teammate, DeForest Buckner. Then, the Bears paid a hefty price Thursday for Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, whom Nelson has battled twice a year in the AFC South.
As fate would have it, the two trades coming down this week will pit Nelson vs. Simmons when the Seahawks host Chicago.
"He's an amazing football player and competitor," Nelson said. "I was like, 'Man, I can't get away from this guy.' It'll be another battle against him this week."
