Sauce Gardner will find himself protecting the strongest offense in the league after Nov 4. The New York Jets had suffered a tragic season of 1-7 this season, ranking 4th in the AFC East. The Indianapolis Colts, who were in the market to complete their unit by acquiring a defense, have successfully traded for Gardner. The CB has now released an official statement.

“New York, it’s been real,” Gardner wrote on X. 

Moments before the trade was announced, he bid farewell to his four seasons with the Jets. Fans expected to see more of him after he signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension during the offseason. The Jets traded the highest-paid cornerback in league history to the Colts in exchange for two first-round picks, adding a dramatic shift to the NFL’s 2025 season.  

During his time in New York, Gardner stood out immediately. He was selected fourth overall in the 2022 draft. He earned back-to-back First-Team All-Pro honours in 2022 and 2023. He was the first rookie cornerback since Ronnie Lott in 1981 to be named first-team All-Pro and win Defensive Rookie of the Year in his debut season. Yet the Jets failed to translate his elite performances into playoff success.

For Gardner, the move to Indianapolis offers a fresh platform. The Colts are currently positioned for a stronger postseason push than the Jets. With his proven shutdown-coverage ability, Gardner now has a clearer path toward a championship.

Colts’ defense gets an elite upgrade after humbling loss

The Indianapolis Colts entered this season with a strong offense, yet their defense showed cracks at the worst possible time. In their recent 27-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Colts surrendered six turnovers and five sacks.

“I think when you take away the takeaways, we’ll be moving the ball down the field and scoring a lot of points again. I have a ton of faith in our offense,” Steichen Steichen, the Colts head coach, said after the loss to the  Steelers. But the key defensive gaps stood out.

The secondary allowed multiple catches to the Steelers’ tight ends, even as the Colts’ rush defense held firm. The pass-rush generated pressure, but too often the defense failed to close drives or prevent big catch opportunities. The trade for Sauce Gardner arrives at this moment of urgency.

With only two losses so far, the Colts still sit in strong shape. Adding Gardner injects elite cornerback play into a unit that needs to make fewer mistakes and reset its tempo. The upcoming matchups against the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, and Houston Texans present chances for the Colts to increasingly rely on a tighter defense.

If Gardner settles in quickly alongside former teammate Alec Pierce, this defense may finally match the offense’s ceiling. The Colts finished 8-9 in 2024 and now stand at the top of the AFC standings with playoffs on the horizon. Trading two first-round picks to upgrade the defense reinforces the belief that the Colts are here to win.