The Colts see a window as a Super Bowl contender, and they’re not merely climbing into it. They’re jumping. No, leaping.
Ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, Indianapolis acquired star cornerback Sauce Gardner from the Jets in a stunning, blockbuster deal for two first-round picks (2026, ‘27) and second-year wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, pending physicals.
It’s an incredibly steep cost that the Colts are paying for Gardner. In addition to two premium draft picks and a rookie contract-controlled former second-round pick, Indianapolis will be on the hook for the bulk of Gardner’s big deal. He signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension just over three months ago. The aggressive move shows that the Colts believe they’re a legitimate championship contender this season.
Despite falling last week to Pittsburgh, its worst loss of the year, Indianapolis still leads the AFC. The Colts boast the league’s top offense by scoring and EPA per play. And Gardner’s addition should boost a defense that ranks seventh in points allowed through nine weeks. Indianapolis has had injuries across its secondary, including at cornerback, where starter Charvarius Ward (concussion) must miss at least one more game on injured reserve.
The Gardner blockbuster marks the latest example of Chris Ballard’s evolved player acquisition approach.
For most of his first eight years as general manager, he rarely made big swings in the free agency and trade markets. But as Indianapolis continued to produce mediocre results year after year, threatening his job security, he flipped the switch this past offseason. In free agency, he signed Daniel Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract to push Anthony Richardson as QB1 — Jones would win the training camp battle — and inked Ward and safety Cam Bynum to deals worth up to a combined $120 million.
While Ward has missed several games, Indianapolis’ new approach has clearly reaped rewards. And now, Gardner enters the fold.
Indianapolis will be on the hook for Gardner’s $625,000 salary for the remainder of this season and $70 million effectively guaranteed through 2028, according to Spotrac. But absorbing Gardner’s deal won’t cripple the Colts; the extension he signed with the Jets won’t kick in until 2027, as he has two years remaining on his rookie contract (the rest of this season and 2026, his fifth-year option season).
His cap hit won’t cross eight figures for the first time until that ‘27 season ($20.9 million, per Over The Cap). That gives Indianapolis flexibility for new deals for Jones, who’s playing his way into an extension, and its homegrown talent.
So that Super Bowl window the Colts are leaping headfirst into for this season?
It could stay open for at least the next couple of years.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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