The Indianapolis Colts put the NFL's collective jaw on the floor last November when they made a deadline day blockbuster, landing All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner. Even at the time, it was a hefty investment — shipping two first-rounders and wideout Adonai Mitchell to the Jets — but it was Indy signaling to the league that it was pushing its chips to the middle of the table and announcing it was a playoff force to be reckoned with. Fast-forward through the remainder of 2025 and the first few weeks of 2026, however, and that deal doesn't look so rosy for GM Chris Ballard and the Colts.
Since Gardner arrived at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts are 3-9 overall, which includes a 2-2 start to the regular season this year. While that win-loss mark isn't entirely on his shoulders, Gardner was brought in to help anchor Indy's defense, and the corner hasn't lived up to those expectations. As a team, the Colts are giving up 261.3 passing yards per game this season and 8.1 yards per attempt, which are both the fourth-highest in the NFL.
They also have just one interception this year. With those struggles in mind, let's revisit the trade that sent shockwaves across the league roughly 11 months ago. In hindsight, this feels massively lopsided in favor of the New York Jets.
They used their 2026 first-rounder to select tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who has already flashed huge pass-catching potential through the first month of the year. That includes a 7-catch, 105-yard performance against the Lions in Week 3, where he made a highlight-reel diving touchdown grab. Meanwhile, Adonai Mitchell, who was looked at as a throw-in piece to the deal at the time, is a legit factor in New York's passing attack when he's been healthy.
In his 10 games played for the Jets, Mitchell has caught 33 balls for 424 yards and two touchdowns. That puts him on a 17-game pace of about 56 receptions for 720 receiving yards. That's a solid No. 2 or No. 3 option behind Garrett Wilson and — when healthy — first-round rookie Omar Cooper Jr.
Most importantly, trading away Gardner has helped springboard their rebuild and puts them in a strong position to potentially secure a franchise quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft. Along with the Colts' pick they acquired in the Gardner trade, the Jets have their own first-round selection and the better of Dallas's or Green Bay's first-round pick, thanks to last year's Quinnen Williams deal. That creates a ton of flexibility in exchange for a player who no longer matched their timeline.
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