The NFL world was left speechless yesterday when the New York Jets traded All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in what can be dubbed one of the most stunning deadline deals in recent memory. Just months after signing a four-year, $120.4 million contract extension, the team shipped off its defensive cornerstone for two first-round picks (2026, 2027) and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
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For a 25-year-old player who had quickly become the face of the Jets’ defense, a back-to-back Pro Bowler and First-Team All-Pro as a rookie, this move certainly seems self-destructive.
Moreover, what adds to the surprise factor is the Colts going all in for Gardner with two first-rounders, which many argue is too steep a price. After all, this is what the Packers paid to acquire Micah Parsons’ services a month ago. Are they both on the same level today? Not quite.
Regardless, the bottom line remains that everyone across the league, from fans to GMs, has been stunned by the trade. But as it turns out, longtime NFL analyst and ESPN color commentator Rich Eisen wasn’t as blindsided as most.
Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, the NFL Network host revealed that he had smelled something fishy long before Gardner’s door was opened for Indy.
“Kind of got an inkling. I’ll say it publicly: when we wanted to talk to Sauce in our pre-broadcast meetings, got the sense from the Jets- ‘Sauce is not available for you to talk to.’ Got the sense: ‘Not exactly the guy that we want out there talking about what he’s feeling about in the locker room,’” Eisen shared.
This subtle change in media availability, Eisen said, gave him the first hint that Gardner’s standing inside the building had shifted.
That said, while Eisen went on to admit that he “pounded the table” for Sauce during the 2022 NFL Draft, he understood the logic behind the Jets’ decision. “Today, the Jets trade him in the most blockbuster move around… He’s an Indianapolis Colt… Two first-rounders for Sauce Gardner? I like it. Good deal,” he said.
Eisen also delved deeper and broke down the deal, crediting both teams for their approach.
“Great move by the Colts. Obviously, this is an aggressive move by [GM] Chris Ballard. And kudos to the front office and ownership for saying, ‘Go ahead and do it.’ That’s an aggressive maneuver for a terrific young player who’s now under contractual control for some time,” Eisen noted.
“Fits underneath the cap, certainly when you’re not paying your quarterback fifty gajillion dollars. Anthony Richardson’s still on his first contract. If you’re the Colts, absolutely you make this move,” he added.
Meanwhile, on the Jets’ side, Eisen said the Sauce Gardner trade was part of a full-blown reset.
“The Jets are burning it all down to the ground… Aaron Glenn knows how talented this kid is, but whatever’s going on behind the scenes, he’s taken stock — and Sauce wasn’t one of the guys he wants to have in the boat with him moving forward.”
But as he wrapped up, Eisen couldn’t help but acknowledge the emotional toll on fans, especially for the ones from New York. “Once again, the Jets draft somebody everybody falls in love with, and they then have to leave,” he said, adding that while the two first-rounders soften the blow, it’s another painful chapter in a franchise still searching for stability.
