Sauce Gardner Cryptically Asks Colts to Trade for Star Edge Rusher

Sauce Gardner pushed the Indianapolis Colts to re-sign Alec Pierce, and now he's urging the franchise to add a star pass-rusher.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) warms-up on the field Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, ahead of the game against against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indianapolis Colts superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner had a field day on X, urging the Colts to re-sign Alec Pierce.

The way he pushed this narrative was interesting, mentioning that he'd lock Pierce in his basement until a deal with Indianapolis was reached. Of course, this happened in the way of a four-year, $114 million deal.

it worked chat 🤝 https://t.co/T1bn6SLxRE pic.twitter.com/PMIVoIuEeS

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 11, 2026

Now, Gardner is at it again, this time in the way of bringing up Minnesota Vikings pass-rusher, Jonathan Greenard.

Greenard is a trade target for many teams, and the Colts are likely a squad that fits into this narrative. Gardner made it known that he loves a good pass rush and brings up his basement again in hilarious fashion.

love a good pass rush.. is it time to open my basement back up🤔 https://t.co/A4O3ghbSUL pic.twitter.com/mjcM1192bU

— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) March 15, 2026

Indianapolis had an underwhelming edge room last year, and while Laiatu Latu did well in year two to lead the team in sacks with 8.5, more firepower is needed.

The Colts didn't get the pass-rushing production they wanted from Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam in 2025, leading to both finding new homes through free agency (Paye with the Las Vegas Raiders, Ebukam with the Atlanta Falcons).

Greenard fits the mold and would make an immediate impact if Indianapolis executed a trade for the former Louisville and Florida alum.

While Greenard's 2025 season wasn't up to his standards, he has a great opportunity to bounce back in a big way in this upcoming season.

Last year, Greenard dealt with a shoulder injury that limited him to 12 games and 3.0 sacks.

Despite missing five games and not putting up wild sack metrics, Greenard still applied 47 quarterback pressures, which ranked 30th out of 115 defensive ends per Pro Football Focus.

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) during their playoff game at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale. | Joseph Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Greenard is also a capable run defender off the edge, which makes him an all-around excellent defender when paired with his abilities as a pass-rusher.

Given how Trey Hendrickson was on Indy's radar and ended up signing with the Baltimore Ravens, Greenard is essentially the last difference-maker at edge rusher the Colts could acquire.

Greenard isn't far removed from double-digit sack seasons and could find that rhythm quickly. In 2023 with the Houston Texans, he stacked 12.5 sacks.

The very next season with the Vikings, he put up 12 sacks and earned his lone Pro Bowl nomination.

Indianapolis doesn't have immense draft capital to use in this hypothetical trade if they were to put up an offer for Greenard, which could sour the attempt.

However, Indianapolis is openly shopping quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr., and Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is an offensive mind who might be interested in trying to develop Richardson.

.@Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell had some words of encouragement for @GVOaant ❤️ pic.twitter.com/TaXW9dFaMx

— NFL (@NFL) November 7, 2024

While the Vikings just signed Kyler Murray, they appear to have little faith in J.J. McCarthy. After investing their 2024 10th-overall pick in McCarthy, he's been a trainwreck.

McCarthy missed the entire 2024 season with a torn meniscus. After recovering, McCarthy played 10 games in 2025 and was arguably the worst quarterback in the NFL.

Now, McCarthy is poised to be Murray's backup, but why not bring Richardson into the fray and have an open competition for the backup role? Given how bad McCarthy looked in 2025, it's not crazy to say Richardson could beat him out to become QB2.

This would allow Richardson to learn from O'Connell and a mobile quarterback like Murray, giving the Vikings a future starter under center with far more upside than McCarthy, who looks like a bona fide bust.

If the Colts make a serious push for Greenard, it's likely that Richardson will be a part of the deal to entice O'Connell and the Vikings to take a swing on Richardson.

Will Gardner be correct for a second-straight time? While it's a hilarious post, it's also a possibility. We'll see if Chris Ballard puts together a deal to bring Greenard to the Colts for the 2026 season.

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