Sauce Gardner trade grades for Colts, Jets after NFL blockbuster deal

A mammoth NFL trade has happened during the deadline with the New York Jets sending 25-year-old All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts. The deal was first reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

The Colts are giving up two first round picks and WR Adonai Mitchell in exchange for the defensive back, which is an incredibly steep price given Gardner’s recent play. It’s a sign that Indianapolis is all-in on trying to cement themselves not just atop the AFC South, but believe they’re capable of making a legitimate Super Bowl run right now while the window is open.

Typically this would be a home run deal, but there are major questions around Gardner right now — even more-so with the price tag attached. While it’s unquestionable he seemed on the trajectory to be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL based on his 2022 and 2023 seasons, over the past two years his production and effectiveness have fallen off. Registering 20 passes defended as a rookie, and 11 his sophomore year, he’s only had 15 defended passes over the last two years combined. While some of this is due to teams choosing to throw away from him, there’s also a reality that he simply isn’t playing as well as he once was.

Thus far in 2025 Gardner has a 71.3 rating from Pro Football Focus, ranking him as the 21st cornerback in the NFL. Still a very high-level player, but not typically someone who would garner multiple first round picks in a trade.

The hope for Indianapolis is that Gardner’s lack of production recently has been more a product of disfunction inside the Jets, rather than a reflection on the player himself. If that gamble pans out, and Sauce returns to his All-Pro performance than this will be a home run trade that could define the Colts for years to come. If Gardner’s recent play is the rule, not the exception — well, then this will be a trade that defines the team for all the wrong reasons.

It was known around the league that Gardner was unhappy and that he wasn’t getting along with new head coach Aaron Glenn. It’s a wonder with those known quantities that the Colts had to give up two first round picks to get the deal done, but it’ll all be worth it if it means Indianapolis can make a Super Bowl push this year.

Jets grade: A+

This was a monster return for a player who was on the verge of forcing his way out of New York. While the Colts pick are expected to be in the 20s, it gives the Jets what they desperately need: Assets to turn this mess around.

Colts grade: C

Sauce Gardner is a hell of a player, but they bought big in a sellers market and paid a lot for someone who isn’t a sure-thing. We can revisit this trade in a year or so, because it’s really a make-or-break for this era of Colts football.