The NFL trade deadline is on fire right now. The Indianapolis Colts have their lockdown corner for the future. The Colts are going all in after a dominant 7-2 start and are looking to make their Super Bowl push. No one would have expected the New York Jets to deal Sauce Gardner at the deadline, but the AFC East team was given an offer that they could not refuse.
Breaking Down the Sauce Gardner Trade Details
Ian Rapoport dropped the jaws of millions of NFL fans with the news that Gardner is the newest Colt. The Colts gave up two first-round picks, and the Jets decided that was plenty enough to part ways with their star cornerback.
New York Jets Analysis
It’s going to be an emotional time for Jets fans after trading one of their franchise cornerstones. But the Jets are far from contending, and the Colts offered serious draft capital.
New York will find it tough to find a way to replace a player like Gardner, but two first-round picks are no cheap price. New York has needed receivers, too, and they also got AD Mitchell in the deal.
Sources: The #Jets are trading Sauce Gardner to the #Colts. Blockbuster.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 4, 2025
Mitchell is a young receiver who has yet to break out. He is very quick, and in a weak receiver room, he’ll have plenty of chances to show what he can do. If Mitchell can prove to be a WR2-caliber player alongside star Garrett Wilson, the Jets’ offense will look much better in terms of its weapons.
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The Jets’ season is over, and fans were expecting them to sell off pieces of their own. No one was expecting Gardner to be one of those. It’s no surprise that he commanded such a big package as he did. The Jets got quite the haul, but lost one of the best. Overall, they did well in this trade as they look to the future.
New York Jets Grade: A-
Indianapolis Colts Analysis
For the Colts, they had to shore up their defense. With one of the best offenses in the NFL, adding talent to their defense was necessary to help their chances at winning the big game. Giving up two first-round picks is an absurd decision. But a Super Bowl would make it all worth it. They are getting a stud who is signed for many years and will be the cornerstone piece of their secondary.
Gardner is simply one of the best corners in the NFL. He’s forced the most incompletions with 49 since 2022, which is his first season in the league. He’s also allowed the fewest yards per snap at 0.6 since he entered the NFL.
Gardner’s CBi rating was in the top 10 for each of his first three seasons, finishing as the top cornerback in his rookie season with an impressive impact score of 101.5. This season, he ranks 23rd, with a score of 84.5.
The Colts also parted ways with Mitchell in the deal. He never produced in Indianapolis after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. They have the receivers to deal with the blow of losing Mitchell, as he wasn’t much involved to begin with.
The Colts got the best player in the deal, no question. But they paid a hefty price for Gardner, and if they don’t win the Super Bowl this year, it could prove costly for their future. They are going all in, and only the future will tell how this deal will age. Giving up that much is a huge risk, but for a perennial star CB, it might just prove worth it.
Indianapolis Colts Grade: B-