The New York Jets just shipped their star cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks and it stunned the NFL world. In return, the Jets received wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and two first-round picks from Indianapolis. Let’s admit, no one saw the trade coming and analysts split instantly. Some praised the bold move, while others questioned the steep price. But ex-Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith had a different reaction altogether.

“Folks tossed around first rounders like candy!” Smith wrote on X, “I still can’t believe folks didn’t want Lamar Jackson for 2 first-round picks. Wild!”

Smith has a point, doesn’t he? Back in the 2022 NFL season, the Ravens watched their Super Bowl hopes fade without QB Lamar Jackson, who sat out with a PCL sprain. At the same time, he refused a $133 million guaranteed contract offer from the team. Then things got very tense. Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta even had his NFL Combine week derailed after Jackson texted him a trade request.

Back then, Jackson expected interest from around the league with his trade request. But surprisingly, teams backed off publicly. Why? Many questioned the price. Others disliked the way Jackson represented himself. And then there was the Ravens’ clear desire to keep him as they placed the nonexclusive tag on him on March 7, 2023.

Under the nonexclusive franchise tag, a play can negotiate with other teams. If someone signed Jackson at the time, the Ravens could have matched or received two first-round picks. It sounded like a strong market situation. Yet no one bit. In the end, right before the 2023 NFL Draft, Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million deal to stay in Baltimore.

Sure, the business side got resolved with the deal that Lamar Jackson signed. But clearly, emotions linger. Torrey Smith’s reaction proves that. So how did Sauce Gardner fetch two first-rounders when Lamar Jackson couldn’t?

Sauce Gardner fetches 2 first-round picks unlike Lamar Jackson 

The Jets sit at 1-7 now in the 2025 NFL season. So, everyone expected the Jets to trade veterans, not franchise cornerstones. Yet here we are – Sauce Gardner, 25 years old and already a two-time All-Pro, is suddenly gone. And yes, they just made him the highest-paid cornerback with a four-year, $120.4 million deal a few months ago. So, even the Jets locker room was shocked by the trade.

Sauce Gardner has forced 49 incompletions since entering the league and earned a 90.8 PFF grade. He leads the NFL with a 74.1% lockdown rate this season. He shuts opponents down and has elite production. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson in 2022 posted a 91.1 passer rating with 2,242 yards, 17 TDs, and 7 INTs through 12 games. Those were also star numbers from a former MVP. So why did teams avoid Jackson but chased Gardner?

One key difference – the Ravens weren’t letting Lamar Jackson go. They made it clear they’d match any offer. Teams didn’t want to waste time negotiating only to help Baltimore set the price. But with Sauce Gardner, the Jets faced a different situation. His performance has dipped this season. 

While Sauce Gardner recovered from a concussion, rookie Azareye’h Thomas had also stepped in and held his own. So, maybe the Jets felt Gardner’s price tag outweighed his recent impact. Maybe they wanted draft capital to reset. Or maybe they believed his value would never be higher than right now. Still, doesn’t it feel risky?

Moreover, trading a 25-year-old star defender from a struggling team to a contender feels dramatic, and very Jets-like. It reminds us of one thing: the NFL thrives on unpredictability. One year, teams run from paying Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, another year they hand over two first-round picks for a cornerback who hasn’t even reached his ceiling.