What a glorious start to the 2025 season it was for the Indianapolis Colts. A spectacular offensive explosion with Daniel Jones under center led them to believe that they could be contenders in the AFC.
As a result, they made a blockbuster trade to acquire Sauce Gardner, giving up two first-round picks in the process. However, the consensus around the league might put the move in even worse light as we head into the 2026 season.
Sauce Gardner Isn’t a Difference Maker Anymore
A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Gardner lived up to his billing as the fourth overall pick almost instantly. Making the All-Pro team as a rookie, he would follow it up with an equally electric 2023 campaign.
Unfortunately, 2024 is when things took a turn for the worse. As injuries started piling on, his production and impact dropped. That year, he finished at number 59 on PFSN’s CB Impact Rankings, before following it up as number 52 last season.
From a statistical standpoint, the drop off has been hard to ignore, too. Across the board, the numbers have gotten worse for what was once among the most promising defenders in the secondary.
That reflected in this year’s cornerback rankings as well. ESPN’s ranking, compiled by Jeremy Fowler, placed Gardner at No. 9, a far cry from the top-five billing he received last season.
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Fowler explained, “His turnover production is poor — only three interceptions in four NFL seasons — and several evaluators have pointed out he misses tackles and holds too much.” But the bigger piece of the pie came from an anonymous coach.
Fowler directly quoted him, saying, “Sauce lost the sauce. Now, he got traded for a reason — he’s a long strider and has the confidence to overshadow his weaknesses. He can press and play Cover 2.” However, the coach was also wary of the obvious flaws.
“But he’s not going to tackle all the time, he’s not going to crack replace, and when playing zone, sometimes he’s not playing it correctly. It’s just hard for him to hold up over the course of the game.”
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Gardner still had the highest rate for pass breakups in coverage snaps last season, and a full season with Lou Anarumo could work wonders for him. But a question mark now looms large over him.
Even though the raw physical attributes are hard to deny, Gardner hasn’t produced at nearly the same level in recent years. If the Colts want to be a genuine player in a loaded conference, then he’s going to have to find his form once again for the team to make some noise.
