The New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts stunned the football world on Tuesday afternoon when the two teams reached an agreement on a trade involving star cornerback, Sauce Gardner.
According to several reports, Gardner is going to the Colts in exchange for a pair of first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell in what is likely to be the most shocking trade of deadline day.
The trade was stunning because there was zero inclination that the Jets would make such a move based on the countless rumors and reports out there ahead of the deadline. Also, Gardner had signed an extension in July.
We weren't the only ones shocked by the trade. According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, so was Gardner, although he apparently doesn't have any ill will toward the Jets, nor should he now that he's leaving a dumpster fire for a contending team.
"Sauce Gardner was stunned by the trade, per his brother and agent Allante Gardner, who told me he learned of the deal around 12:15 in a call from the Jets," Cimini relayed.
"They had no inkling before that, he said. Sauce has no negative feelings toward the Jets; he understands it's a business, Allante said. Sauce did get a call from Aaron Glenn."
Gardner is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and just turned 25, so he was still young enough to be part of the team's long-term plans, which only makes this more shocking.
But we could also see it from the Jets' perspective. Two first-round picks are tough to pass up on for a rebuilding team like the Jets that desperately needed more draft capital. Furthermore, New York gets a young wide receiver for its depleted group.
For the Colts, this is a clear sign they are all in, as they should be after a 7-2 first half of the season.
Indy had a huge need at the position with Xavien Howard having retired and with Charvarius Ward on injured reserve, and they filled that need in a massive, franchise-altering way.
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