​ESPN’s Bill Barnwell went through an interesting exercise that ends up highlighting the most valuable players on the Indianapolis Colts’ 2026 roster.Barnwell went through all 32 teams and selected which players could net a first-round pick in return if they were traded.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBarnwell isn’t insinuating that any of these players will be moved, but instead is a reflection of how he believes that the league views these players.Three Colts’ players would make Barnwell’s list: Sauce Gardner, Laiatu Latu, and Tyler Warren.Barnwell listed Gardner as a player who would net two first-round picks, a price we saw the Colts pay last season to acquire him.Gardner was limited to four games in a Colts’ uniform, but his immediate impact was evident. He was stingy in coverage and allowed Lou Anarumo to call a more aggressive game.”Gardner’s an elite player who should still have years of excellent football ahead,” Barnwell wrote. “I like his chances of exceeding expectations after a full offseason under Lou Anarumo in Indianapolis.”Latu was listed as a player who would return a first-round pick and then some. Latu’s second season seemed to mostly fly under the radar, but his pass rush production took a big step forward.”He’s not as exciting or as promising as Jared Verse, but I’m not sure there’s a huge gap between the two as they each enter Year 3 of their respective careers,” wrote Barnwell.Warren, Barnwell believes, would net a first-round selection in return. Warren was one of the most productive tight ends in football as a rookie and brings a do-it-all skill set to the offense that helps open up the playbook for Shane Steichen.”The issue is simply that teams don’t typically trade first-round picks or even use them for tight ends,” wrote Barnwell. “Warren’s status as a mid-first-rounder in the 2025 draft and his success as a rookie would lead more teams to consider him as a useful option.”Surprisingly not included on Barnwell’s list was guard Quenton Nelson, who remains one of the top players at his position group. Jonathan Taylor wasn’t included either. Ultimately, that decision came down to positional value for both.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith DeForest Buckner, Barnwell mentioned his age and neck injury, while Alec Pierce’s salary is viewed by some as “too rich for Pierce’s established level of production.”This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: ESPN identifies Colts 3 most valuable players with 4 others missing out