Jets' surprising Sauce Gardner trade sends shockwaves to NFL

Dan Treacy

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Why did Jets trade Sauce Gardner? New York stuns NFL world by dealing star CB to Colts image

Despite all the names circulated ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, what appears to be the biggest deal of the day was one that didn’t involve any of them.

The Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets stunned the football world by agreeing to a blockbuster trade that sent CB Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis and two first-round picks and WR Adonai Mitchell to New York. The deal was first reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Jets find themselves in the midst of another dismal season at 1-7 and were thought to be potential sellers ahead of the deadline. Gardner’s name, however, wasn’t reported as a likely trade candidate for the same reason Garrett Wilson’s wasn’t: He signed a massive extension less than four months ago and is considered one of the most talented young players at his position.

Now, Gardner is headed to the AFC South, where he’s set to put on a Colts uniform for years to come.

Here’s what you need to know about why the Jets traded Gardner in a deadline surprise.

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Jets' Sauce Gardner trade explained

The Jets haven't yet made any public comments about the deal, but one would have to imagine the significant haul from the Colts was the driving factor behind the trade.

By dealing Gardner, a Jets regime trying to rebuild a struggling roster picks up two additional first-round picks, with the caveat that at least one of them likely won't be very high in the draft order. New York also gets out of having to pay a contract averaging more than $30 million annually, giving the franchise some more flexibility.

The importance of the draft picks can't be overstated. Two first-rounders and a player matches the haul the Dallas Cowboys received for Micah Parsons. Those picks not only give the Jets a better path to filling out their roster, but they give GM Darren Mougey ammo to move up in the first round if the franchise is set on landing a particular player. For a team with no long-term answer at quarterback, that could be crucial. 

It's not uncommon for new regimes to move on from players, even talented ones, simply because they don't value them the same way or don't believe they are the right fit. Whether the Jets didn't believe Gardner was the right fit for Aaron Glenn's system is unknown, but it's worth noting this new regime is the one that gave Gardner the lucrative contract he signed in July.

The structure of that deal is part of what made the trade possible, as the Jets won't have to take on a significant dead cap hit despite just giving Gardner a huge contract.

Gardner was an All-Pro in each of his first two NFL seasons, emerging as the league's best cornerback in some eyes, but he was far less consistent in 2024. Despite hopes of a turnaround, Gardner's 2025 level of play more closely matched 2024 rather than 2022 or 2023.

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Gardner's deal

Gardner signed a four-year, $120.1 million contract extension in July. The deal itself hasn't actually kicked in yet, as Gardner is still playing out the remainder of his rookie contract.

That doesn't mean the Colts will be playing a heavy price immediately. Gardner's cap hit is only $9.5 million in 2026 before rising to $20.9 million in 2026 and $26.2 million in 2027. He is set to count more than $36 million against the cap in 2029 and 2030, though most of the guaranteed money will be paid out by then.

Ultimately, Gardner is set to make $131.5 million through the 2030 season, removing what was already paid out by the Jets; he is making just $625,000 through the rest of the 2025 season.

Contributing Writer