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While New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn tried to figure out who his quarterback should be, the team traded its best defensive player. And cornerback Sauce Gardner said he was stunned by the deal that sent him to the Colts, according to a post on X by Rich Cimini.
“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. 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. #Jets”
The Jets dealt the two-time Pro Bowl standout, who was also the defensive rookie of the year in 2022. The shocking deal, which sent two first-round picks to the Jets, sent ripples across the NFL.
Gardner posted about his feelings on X.
“New York it’s been real”
There’s no doubt the Colts got a gem. Gardner is the only cornerback since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to be chosen as a first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons.
His third season wasn’t as impressive. In 2024, he defended only nine passes with 49 tackles.
But he joins a Colts team that wasn’t a defensive liability. Their 10 interceptions rank No. 3 in the NFL.
What makes the deal surprising from the Jets’ standpoint is they signed Gardner to a four-year extension this summer. It averaged $30.1 million per season. The Colts will be on the hook for all but the $14.375 million the Jets have already paid Gardner in bonus and salary, according to NBC Sports.
“The cap charges aren’t excessive,” Mike Florio wrote. “Because the trade happened after June 1, there’s no additional 2025 charge. In 2026, they’ll carry the $2.75 million allocation that was already on the books, plus another $8.25 million in acceleration.”
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