Indy has made the biggest splash trading for New York Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner. This deal represents a radical change in approach for each organization. The Colts sent two future first-round draft picks—one each for the 2026 and 2027 seasons—to secure Gardner, who has emerged as one of the premier cornerbacks in the league. At just 24 years old, Gardner’s addition is expected to bolster the Colts’ defense as they aim for a stronger showing in the competitive AFC South.
That Gardner guy, the one from Cincy who was just drafted fourth overall. He did give them an immediate impact as soon as he joined the Jets’ starting lineup. Beyond that, his infectious coverage took New York’s defense from bland to booming. It rocketed from horrible 32nd in points allowed per drive for 2021 to a fantastic 2nd in 2022 and rode that wave all the way to a 4th place finish in 2023. That complete 180-degree shift is turning heads all over the league and cementing Gardner’s status as a pillar player.
Gardner in every sense of the word during his rookie year laid claim for the title of best cornerback in all of football. With that, he received first-team All-Pro accolades in 2022 and 2023. His dazzling performance statistics established him as one of the league’s best cornerbacks as a rookie. You can read about all of this and more in the FTN Football Almanac. Now he’s beginning his new chapter with the Colts. If his trade goes through, it will send shockwaves throughout the NFL.
The Rise of Sauce Gardner
Sauce Gardner’s story started with tremendous hype, as he walked into the NFL with the most hype of any DB. The Jets saw his elite skill, trading up to select him third overall with dreams of his skills anchoring their defensive unit. From his first game, Gardner was the real deal, and that all-around skill set quickly made him one of the most dangerous weapons in the country.
In his rookie year, he notched a stunningly low passer rating of 62.7. This next stat paints a pretty good picture of his overall skills shutting down receivers. Along the way, as time marched on, that rating has jumped up and down. By 2025, it hit 98.1, showing that performance started to go down a little bit. Still, this didn’t take the sheen off of his success. His first two campaigns made him an outlier compared to most of his contemporaries.
His place on an exclusive list of players to be named first-team All-Pros in their first two seasons since the start of the Super Bowl era. These monikers often connect with Hall of Fame careers. Gardner’s addition to that list, not only solidifying his potential and impact as a rookie, but for years to come.
Colts’ Ambitious Move
The Colts’ move to trade for Gardner represents their high-risk, high-reward mentality when it comes to building the best, most competitive roster possible. In giving up two very good first-round picks, they are obviously communicating the message that they plan to win now. For all the bad blood, they’ve locked up a very nice four-year contract extension for Gardner, totaling $106 million. This new deal is an average of $26.5 million per season.
This big investment is a strong vote of confidence from the Colts’ management in Gardner’s talent and potential importance to the franchise moving forward. With their defense needing reinforcements, Gardner’s arrival could prove pivotal as they look to improve their standings in a challenging division.
Setting aside the short-term specifics of the deal, it opens up questions about the Colts’ long-term plan. The risk of sacrificing future draft capital is magnified by the gamble being taken on Gardner’s performance. Still, with his history and his age in favor, the Colts seem more than willing to make that risk.
Changes Ahead for Sauce and the Jets
For Sauce Gardner, moving from the Jets to the Colts represents the month’s biggest opportunity and biggest challenge. He also played under head coach Robert Saleh during his time in New York. All of that flipped upside down when Saleh was suddenly let go midseason. It’s possible the sudden change in leadership impacted Gardner’s play as well, with the senior having to get used to a whole new coaching dynamic.
As Gardner enters the NFL, he will need to learn a new system and prove he can continue to produce at an elite level. The pressure will be extraordinary. Measurables aside, he is not just another playmaker on the field. He is the undisputed centerpiece around which the Colts hope to build their new and improved defense.
The Jets are the other team affected by this trade. That’s a huge blow to lose a player of Gardner’s high caliber. That staff is now racing against the clock to reform a cohesive roster after a tumultuous coaching transition. The organization now faces pressure to find suitable replacements and continue improving their defensive capabilities without one of their standout players.
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