The Indianapolis Colts are one of the best teams in the NFL this season. They are in a three-way tie for the best record of 7-2. Additionally, they have scored the most points of any NFL team during the 2025 season.
They missed out on acquiring Logan Wilson earlier on Tuesday. The Cincinnati Bengals‘ linebacker was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for several draft picks. Now the Colts have made a deal of their own, acquiring Sauce Gardner.
Sauce Gardner’s Simple Parting Message
Minutes before being acquired by the Colts, Gardner posted a simple message on his X account.
“New York it’s been real,” the post reads.
In response to his message, one user wrote, “its been real, its been fun but it hasnt been real fun.”
“Lifelong Jets fan here bro. Best thing that ever happened to you. Go be GREAT man. Win a ton of games. Appreciate the way you handled yourself from Draft Day to now,” wrote another fan.
Colts Pay a Big Price to Add Sauce Gardner
Several sources are reporting on the trade between the New York Jets and the Colts. According to Dianna Russini, the price for Gardner is two draft picks and a wide receiver.
“BREAKING: The Colts are acquiring Jets corner Sauce Gardner, per source,” Russini wrote on X. “WR AD Mitchell is also heading to New York in the deal. The first-round picks from Indy are in 2026 and 2027, per sources,” Russini wrote in a follow-up post.
“Indianapolis has been active in the corner market leading up to the trade deadline,” Russini wrote on Tuesday. “Sauce Gardner signed a four-year extension this summer worth just over $120M. The Colts make a huge splash.”
Gardner, 25, was the Jets’ fourth overall draft pick in 2022. The 6-foot-3, 190 lb cornerback is having the best season of his career in 2025. He has 51 solo tackles, 24 assist tackles, two interceptions, and 19 yards off fumbles.
This past July, Gardner and the Jets agreed to a four-year contract extension. His new deal is worth a total of $120.4 million, averaging $30.1 million per season. NFL.com reports that he is the highest-paid corner in NFL history.
The player going back to the Jets is wide receiver Adoni Mitchell. The 52nd overall selection in the 2024 draft has recorded 152 receiving yards.
Colts Go Against the Grain
Many pundits, fans, and insiders are shocked at the magnitude of this deal. James Boyd has chimed in on the surprising move and how it goes against the grain with GM Chris Ballard’s typical approach.
“Before landing Gardner, Ballard had only made one in-season trade through the first eight years of his tenure,” Boyd wrote in a joint piece for The Athletic on November 4, 2025. “And that lone deal was when running back Nyheim Hines requested to be dealt in 2022.”
“Year 9, however, appears to be the season that Ballard is going all in.”
Considering that the Colts finished the 2024 season with an 8-9 record, it makes sense to push your chips in when you are sitting at the top of the standings.
“The Colts wouldn’t part ways with two first-round picks for a cup of coffee in the postseason,” Boyd continued. “This move solidifies their belief that they can go on a Super Bowl run, and the idea that they’re perhaps one player away from maximizing a campaign that has largely shocked the NFL.”
Colts Announce Big Deal For $120 Million Star