Sauce Gardner Trade Shows Colts 'All In' for Super Bowl Run

It was after the conclusion of the 2021 season when the late, great Jim Irsay declared the Indianapolis Colts would put "all chips in" to bring another Super Bowl back to Indy.

Three and a half years later, Irsay's franchise is going for it.

The Colts executed a blockbuster trade just before the deadline on Tuesday, acquiring former All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and wide receiver AD Mitchell.

The Colts had been working the phones over the last couple of weeks, looking for a corner, and ended up making an aggressive move for one of the league's best.

🚨 TRADE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/aT3YdB0Ijf
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 4, 2025

“Having the opportunity to acquire a talented player like Sauce Gardner was one we did not want to pass on," general manager Chris Ballard said through a team-issued statement. "He was a player that we scouted heavily coming out of college and there’s a reason he was the fourth overall pick. Sauce is a proven cornerback. His skill and competitive nature will elevate everyone’s play on the defensive unit. We’re thrilled he’s a Colt."

Gardner was the No.4 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati, where he was teammates with current Colts' wide receiver Alec Pierce. He immediately established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2022 while earning Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors. Gardner was named a First-Team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl again in 2023.

The 25-year-old Gardner has compiled 201 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 47 passes defensed, three interceptions, and one forced fumble in 55 games played (all starts). He ranks third in the NFL in passes defensed and first in completion percentage allowed at 50.3% (according to Pro Football Focus) since entering the NFL.

Sauce Gardner has faced opponent #1 receivers on 45.5% of his coverage matchups, the NFL's highest rate (min. 125 matchups).

When targeted, he has forced tight windows (<1 yard of separation) at a 52.0% rate, also leading the league (min. 20 targets).@Colts | #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/88AAPXz8aI
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 4, 2025

Gardner gives the Colts another tall (6-3, 190 pounds), lengthy cornerback with great speed that can lock down receivers anywhere on the field. He excels in zone and press man, with the length and physicality to give his matchups fits.

While he can generate holding penalties at times, Gardner is very sticky in coverage, forcing tight window throws (under one yard of separation) at the highest rate in the NFL this season at 52.0%.

Gardner's skill set is perfect for what Colts' defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo wants to do with his unit. Having Gardner will allow the Colts to play more press-man coverage, a staple of Anarumo's defenses. The Colts will also be able to call more blitzes and pressure calls moving forward, knowing they have a talent like Gardner who can stick with receivers for longer periods of time.

This move by the Colts signals that they believe their Super Bowl window is now. Sitting at 7-2 and holding the top seed in the AFC, Ballard and the Colts felt like they needed to solidify a secondary that has been decimated by injuries this season. When a player of Gardner's caliber became available, the Colts did what had to be done.

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New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) reacts after making a tackle. — New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) reacts after making a tackle against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The price to acquire Gardner was certainly steep. Two first-round picks and a former second-round wide receiver are a premium to pay for a non-quarterback. However, if Gardner is the player who puts the Colts over the top and propels the team into Super Bowl contention, it will be well worth it.

Giving away two first-round picks for Gardner is also a significant indication of the Colts' belief in Daniel Jones. If the Colts thought they still needed to find their quarterback of the future, holding onto those top picks would be essential.

Instead, Jones' incredible resurgence in Indy this year has given the Colts confidence that they have finally found their answer at quarterback and can win with him for the foreseeable future. While Jones is currently on a one-year deal, there is mutual interest on both sides to secure a long-term extension.

Gardner is not a half-season rental like most trades that happen at the deadline. Gardner signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension with the Jets in July, which does not kick in until the 2027 season. With Gardner still on his rookie contract and the Jets picking up his fifth-year option for 2026, he is under the Colts’ control through the 2030 season.

Gardner's future salary cap hits are also feasible for the Colts. He is owed only $625k the rest of this season, with cap hits of $9.5 million in 2026, $20.9 million in 2027, and $26.2 million in 2028. These numbers are typical for a top cornerback in the NFL and should not hinder the Colts when making future moves, as the cap is expected to explode in the coming years.

The #Colts get CB Sauce Gardner at cap hits of:

2025: $625k
2026: $9.5M
2027: $20.9M
2028: $26.2M
2029: $36.1M
2030: $36.1M

It's a 5 1/2 year, $131.5M contract going forward, with $70M effectively guaranteed through 2028.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) November 4, 2025

Gardner figures to be a part of the Colts' plans both now and in the future, and gives Indy another shutdown corner in a conference filled with talented quarterbacks and receivers. Gardner now joins Charvarius Ward (currently on injured reserve, but expected back later this season), Kenny Moore II, Cam Bynum, and Nick Cross to form arguably the best secondary in the NFL when healthy.

The Colts are going all in for 2025 in the quest to bring a championship back to Indy. Shane Steichen's offense, led by Jones and Jonathan Taylor, has put up historic numbers to begin the season. With the opportunity in front of them, Ballard and the Colts pulled the trigger, bringing in Gardner to shore up a defense that will have to take down the best offenses the AFC has to offer to reach their goal.

And you have to imagine Mr. Irsay is looking down with a big smile, seeing the team led by his daughters make a huge splash as they go for the Lombardi.

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