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The Daniel Jones injury did more than derail a game for the Indianapolis Colts. It reopened the loudest argument of their season. When Daniel Jones crumpled with a torn right Achilles in the 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, you could almost hear timelines loading.
The Indianapolis Colts, already sliding after an 8-2 start, dropped to 8-5 and lost their surprise comeback-story quarterback for the rest of 2025, and likely a chunk of 2026.
That context makes the Sauce Gardner trade impossible to ignore. At the deadline, the Colts shipped their next two first-round picks to the New York Jets for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, a clear “we’re going for it right now” signal from general manager Chris Ballard.
Now, with Daniel Jones done and Sauce Gardner sidelined by a calf strain, fans and critics are relitigating everything in real time.
Some still back the swing. One fan insisted, “I do not regret Chris Ballard going for Sauce Gardner one bit… he really went all in to win and I’ll always respect the hell out of him for that.” Others are brutal: “That Sauce Gardner trade might be the worst trade in NFL history on the Colts’ side,” and, “If Daniel Jones is out this year and next year, the Sauce Gardner trade becomes a complete disaster.”
The roster math is harsh. Trevor Lawrence carved up the Colts for 244 yards and two touchdowns, while Travis Etienne ran for 74 yards and two scores as Jacksonville moved to 9-4 and took control of the AFC South.
So the fanbase splits into camps. One side argues you never regret landing one of the best corners in football. The other says the front office “nuked the future” for a win-now push built on a QB with a long injury history.
Both things can be true. Sauce Gardner is a superstar, and this gamble now looks terrifying with Daniel Jones on crutches and the Colts staring at QB purgatory again.
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