Colts Telling Teams DT Adetomiwa Adebawore Isn't Going Anywhere
Indianapolis is selling veterans before the deadline, but its breakout young defensive tackle is being treated as part of the future
The Colts are open for business at the trade deadline, just not on Adetomiwa Adebawore.
Two teams that called Indianapolis about the young defensive tackle were told he's staying put, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Thursday. The Colts see him as a big part of their plans going forward.
That's a turn from earlier in the day, when Garafolo reported that Adebawore had piqued interest as other teams combed through the Colts' roster. After this week, it was fair to wonder whether anyone was safe. Indianapolis sent Quenton Nelson to Seattle and traded DeForest Buckner to San Francisco on Tuesday, and Josh Downs has requested a trade.
Circling back here, I spoke to two teams today that talked to the #Colts about DT Adetomiwa Adeboware and were told he’s staying put. Indy sees him as a big part of the picture moving forward. Surely that means working to extend him before he hits the FA market after the season.View on X →
Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo): Circling back here, I spoke to two teams today that talked to the #Colts about DT Adetomiwa Adeboware and were told he’s staying put. Indy sees him as a big part of the picture moving forward. Surely that means working to extend him before he hits the FA market after the season.
Adebawore is a different kind of asset. The 2023 fourth-round pick out of Northwestern is in his fourth season and having a breakout year, with 17 tackles and four sacks through seven games, including two sacks in Sunday's loss at Minnesota. With Buckner gone, he's now a central piece of the interior line next to Grover Stewart, a veteran who could still be moved.
The catch is the contract. Adebawore is set to hit free agency after the season, and a big payday is coming. Garafolo said keeping him likely means Indianapolis will work to extend him before he reaches the open market. For a team that doesn't own its 2027 first-round pick, locking up a homegrown interior pass rusher would be one of the few rebuilding moves that doesn't cost draft capital.
The Colts (2-5) visit the Jaguars on Sunday. The trade deadline is Nov. 10.