Sportsnaut
The Indianapolis Colts made a massive move to bolster their secondary, acquiring two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets for two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The move essentially signals Anthony Richardson’s time is up in Indianapolis.
Gardner immediately upgrades a Colts secondary that has allowed 15 touchdowns and 244.8 yards per game through the air. He signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension with the Jets in July and was traded less than four months later. Gardner has allowed only 10 receptions through seven games, breaking up six passes and giving up two touchdowns.
The Colts have been one of the more surprising teams in the league, tied with the New England Patriots for the best record at 7-2. Running back Jonathan Taylor has been playing at an MVP-like level while Daniel Jones has solidified the quarterback spot over Richardson.
The Colts signed Jones to compete with Richardson for the starting job entering the 2025 season, and the veteran won out. Through nine games, Jones leads the NFL in passing yards with 2,404 while completing 69.6% of his throws to go along with 14 touchdowns.
The Athletic’s Zak Keefer suggests the Gardner trade means the Colts will stick with Jones at quarterback for the future.
Another layer to this Colts' trade: you don't give up 1st-round picks each of the next two years if you think you're gonna be in the market for a QB.
This indicates ownership/Ballard/Steichen are sold on Daniel Jones moving forward.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) November 4, 2025
If the Colts do stay with Jones for years to come, Richardson’s time in Indianapolis has come to an end. The Colts selected Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but his tenure has been marred by injury and disappointment. Last season, he took himself out of a game against the Houston Texans while the offense was driving down the field because he was fatigued, leading to national fallout.
Richardson likely won’t be on the Colts roster come 2026 and will probably be moved after the season.
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