The Indianapolis Colts have pulled off the biggest surprise of the 2025 NFL midseason trade deadline, acquiring expensive star Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner in exchange for some major high near-future draft picks.
The Colts might have been perceived to give up a ton to get Gardner, but as sudden AFC title contenders, they were supposed to be big-time sellers. The Jets, meanwhile, were supposed to sell, but not quite like this.
Here’s breaking down the move from both sides, changing the fortunes for one good AFC team and one bad one:
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Sauce Gardner trade details
Colts receive:
- CB Sauce Garnder
Jets receive:
- 2026 first-round draft pick
- 2027 first-round draft pick
- WR Adonai Mitchell
Sauce Gardner trade grades
Colts grade: A+
The Colts have a team capable of winning the AFC and getting to Super Bowl 60 at 7-2 and with the No. 1 seed position after Week 9. They needed to get better in the secondary and they landed a shutdown corner ideal for Lou Anarumo’s savvy scheme.
GM Chris Ballard is already working on Sporting News executive of the year with the signing of quarterback Daniel Jones and the drafting of tight end Tyler Warren. Should Gardner return to his elite levels from his early time with the Jets, he can be a difference-maker through the playoffs when facing some of the better passing teams.
Jets grade: D
The Jets moved nickel back Michael Carter II as expected early but this was an absolute shocker, given they just gave Gardner a lucrative contract extension of four years, $120.4 million this past offseason. New York had a lot of players on the market, especially disappointing defenders. Moving their one centerpiece around which to build makes no sense for an organization that has not been hitting any of the right buttons of late.
The draft picks are good and what you would expect from trading a player of that caliber, but it was a head-scratcher to take a flyer on another disappointing speedy young wide out in Mitchell after also getting John Metchie III
In the end, the Colts could afford to go all in with Mitchell expendable and Ballard aggressive, but the Jets didn’t need to get rid of a cornerstone in pursuit of improving their team.
