ClutchPoints
The Indianapolis Colts have fully bought into their Super Bowl LX aspirations ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline. Within days of their concerning loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Colts added star cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets in a stunning trade.
The 7-2 Colts have easily been one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 season, having fans split on whether they are “contenders” or “pretenders.” Their record has been difficult to deny, but their loss to the Steelers brought many doubters out of hibernation.
Regardless, the Colts are now fully in win-now mode, for better or worse. They had one major area to address at the deadline and did so by acquiring arguably the best cornerback in the league. Whether they commit to this team long-term in the offseason remains to be seen, but general manager Chris Ballard is at least sold on his current group in 2025.
Conversely, the trade all but puts the nail in the coffin of the Jets’ 2025 campaign. New York collected its first win of the season in Week 8, but is still just 1-7 on the year and already looking at another lost season. Trading Gardner gets rid of one of the few positives the team had to hang its hat on.
Only time will tell how the trade really turned out, but the move has already sent shockwaves through the league. The initial returns only suggest the two teams will continue trending in opposite directions.
Nobody predicted it in the preseason, but the Colts have been the most well-rounded team in the NFL halfway through the 2025 season. Fans were ready to riot when the team announced Daniel Jones would be its Week 1 starter, only to watch the former bust become the next former New York Giant to thrive in a new environment.
Jones turned the Colts into the most efficient offense in the league with the help of Jonathan Taylor, who is on track for a record-breaking career year. Indianapolis’ defense, which had just as many questions in the preseason, has held up for the most part, but has had one glaring issue: defending the pass.
Through nine games, the Colts are allowing the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game and cede just 4.0 yards per carry. Yet, their injury-riddled secondary has been the clear Achilles heel, ranking 26th in passing yards allowed.
With Charvarius Ward on injured reserve, it was hard to see the defense turning itself around. There were a few players the Colts could have added at the trade deadline who would be an instant fix, and Sauce Gardner is one of them.
Ballard gave up two first-round picks to close the deal, which could affect the Colts in the future if their season falls apart down the stretch. But everybody has been waiting for them to come crashing down all year, which has forced many fans to accept that they just might be better than...
