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Sauce Gardner trade details: Jets deal All-Pro CB to Colts in blockbuster deadline move
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- Sauce Gardner trade details: Jets deal All-Pro CB to Colts in blockbuster deadline move
The New York Jets have agreed to send cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL trade deadline blockbuster.
The Colts will be sending two first-round picks and a young receiver, Adonai Mitchell , to the Jets to complete the trade.
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Gardner is a two-time All-Pro first-teamer who had 20 tackles and six pass defenses across seven games for the Jets in 2025. The 25-year-old became the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history after signing a four-year, $120.4 million contract extension with the Jets during the 2025 offseason.
Here's everything to know about the Gardner trade and what it means for the Jets and Colts.
Sauce Gardner trade details
Colts receive:
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CB Sauce Gardner
Jets receive:
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Two first-round picks
The Colts sent Mitchell and two first-round picks to the Jets in exchange for Gardner. Presumably, the picks will be Indianapolis' 2026 and 2027 first-rounders, though that has not yet been confirmed.
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Gardner will fill a significant need in the Colts' cornerback room. They have a terrific outside starter in Charvarius Ward as well as a quality slot-man in Kenny Moore . However, the team hasn't found a quality No. 2 cornerback, so Gardner will be tasked with making a physical, imposing cornerback duo across from Ward.
Meanwhile, the 1-7 Jets are accelerating their rebuild, getting draft assets in exchange for Gardner that will give them buying power in their quest for a quarterback. And Mitchell – a talented second-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft who hasn't yet put it all together in Indianapolis – is a worthwhile flier for a team in desperate need of young talent at the receiver position.
Sauce Gardner contract details
Gardner will be under contract with the Colts through the 2030 NFL season thanks to a four-year extension he signed with the Jets during the offseason.
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Below is a look at the full details of Gardner's extension, per Spotrac.com .
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Term: Four years
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Total value: $120.4 million
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Average annual value (AAV): $30.1 million
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Guaranteed money: $85.4 million
Gardner's contract extension won't kick in until the 2026 NFL season. Until then, he will be playing on the final year of his rookie contract (in 2025) and a fifth-year option (2026).
( This story will be updated as more information becomes available .)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sauce Gardner trade details: Jets send star CB to Colts at deadline
