INDIANAPOLIS -- As the NFL's trade deadline fast approaches, here is some important context to note about the Indianapolis Colts: Chris Ballard has made one trade to acquire a player around the trade deadline in his nine seasons as Colts general manager.
And even that deal, for running back Zack Moss in 2023, was made mostly to accommodate running back Nyheim Hines, who had requested a trade and was sent to Buffalo in the transaction.
So, no, Ballard has never been much of a dealmaker around this time of year. Then again, Ballard has never had a team like this year's Colts.
Indianapolis sits at 7-1 heading into Sunday's road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (1 p.m. ET, CBS), with the best record in the league and the hottest offense in football. Confidence is so high around the franchise that it feels anything is possible.
"The vibes are great," tight end Mo Alie-Cox said this week.
All of which brings us to Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, which presents an opportunity for Ballard to augment what's proving to be a very talented roster for a second-half run at something big.
Could the Colts take a last-minute swing to position themselves for the postseason? Are they even looking?
Here's what we know, according to sources.
The Colts continue to look for potential deals, and have even sought out a few. Those deals did not materialize because the potential trade partners quickly declined.
One player who has been consistently linked to the Colts is Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. But the Colts believe the veteran pass rusher will not be traded. Hendrickson ended a months-long holdout in August when he finally reported after signing a reworked contract that gave him a pay increase for this season.
If the Bengals reconsider their stance on Hendrickson -- they've told teams he won't be traded without the team receiving exorbitant draft-pick compensation in return -- the Colts would likely have interest.
Along those lines, defense has been the source of the Colts' interest, a source said.
Offensively, the Colts are thriving. They lead the NFL in scoring, yards per game and yards per play. Quarterback Daniel Jones is enjoying a stunning rejuvenation. Running back Jonathan Taylor is the NFL's leading rusher and is making a bid for Most Valuable Player.
On defense, results have been much more mixed.
Indianapolis has survived its defensive lapses in part because it is producing turnovers at a high rate (the Colts are tied with Tampa Bay for third with 12 takeaways). That's helped the Colts keep teams out of the end zone, ranking sixth in scoring defense (19.3 points per game). But the Colts are 30th in third-down defense and 24th in yards allowed per game, numbers that might get them exposed during a potential playoff run.
"We have to get that fixed," defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said Thursday.
To that end, a source said, trade conversations have focused on pass rushers and cornerbacks -- the two positions where the Colts have been most vulnerable this season.
Pass rushers have been hard to come by so far, from all indications. The Colts have run into mostly dead ends in their efforts to land one, a source said. Cornerbacks have already been packaged in multiple recent deals around the league, but the ones who have been moved have mostly been slot defenders. The Colts, with No. 1 cornerback Charvarius Ward on injured reserve and a slew of injuries in the secondary, are more interested in an outside cornerback acquisition.
Meanwhile, the Colts continue looking, while the clock keeps ticking.