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The New York Jets have reportedly traded cornerback Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round picks, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Tuesday (November 4) hours before the NFL's trade deadline.
"Sources: The #Jets are trading Sauce Gardner to the #Colts. Blockbuster," Rapoport wrote on his X account. "It is two first-round picks to the #Colts for Sauce."
Gardner appeared to confirm the trade before Rapoport and others reported it, writing, "New York it's been real," on his X account minutes prior.
The reported trade sends Gardner, who has never appeared in a playoff game during his first three NFL seasons, to a first-place Colts team with eight regular season games remaining.
Gardner was selected by the Jets at No. 4 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft and was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, as well as a First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler during each of his first two NFL seasons and signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension, which made him the NFL's highest-paid cornerback at $30.1 million annually, this past offseason. The former University of Cincinnati standout has recorded 20 tackles and six passes defensed through his first seven games of the 2025 NFL season.
Gardner suffered a concussion during the Jets' Week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers, which forced him to miss the following game against the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of their bye week, but is expected to be cleared for Week 10.