- All-in on a Super Bowl push: The Colts have fielded an elite offense in every way, but they sit 18th in EPA allowed per play, 15th in yards allowed per play (5.3) and 26th in success rate allowed (37.4%) on defense. Their 50.1 team coverage grade ranks 23rd, and they’ve allowed the fifth-most explosive passing plays of 15-plus yards (53).
- Now they get an elite talent in the secondary: Since entering the league, Gardner has been one of the most valuable cornerbacks in football, producing a combined 2.19 wins above replacement — the most among 202 corners with at least 400 snaps over that span.
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According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Indianapolis Colts are acquiring All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets in a blockbuster trade that sends wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and the team’s first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 to New York.
The deal broke just over three hours before Tuesday’s 2025 NFL trade deadline — and it instantly reshapes the AFC playoff picture.
Gardner bolsters the Super Bowl push
Indianapolis enters the deadline as one of the NFL’s best teams. At 7–2, the Colts rank first in EPA per play on offense (0.173) and second in yards per play (6.4). They lead the league in successful play rate (42.6%), conversion percentage (35.8%) and points scored (286) — 25 more than the next-closest offense.
Through nine weeks, Shane Steichen’s offense has looked every bit the part of a Super Bowl contender.
Where they’ve fallen short is on defense. The Colts sit 18th in EPA allowed per play, 15th in yards allowed per play (5.3) and 26th in success rate allowed (37.4%). Their 50.1 team coverage grade ranks 23rd, and they’ve allowed the fifth-most explosive passing plays of 15-plus yards (53).
With one of the league’s toughest remaining schedules — featuring matchups against the Falcons, Chiefs, Texans, Seahawks and 49ers — this front office chose to bet big on an elite coverage talent.
Gardner is one of the best in the game
That’s exactly what they’re getting in Gardner. Since entering the league, he’s been one of the most valuable cornerbacks in football, producing a combined 2.19 wins above replacement — the most among 202 corners with at least 400 snaps over that span.
His rookie campaign in 2022 was historic: Gardner’s 0.88 WAR ranked fifth among all single-season cornerback marks in the PFF era. He led the NFL in both overall grade (87.9) and coverage grade (90.0), allowing just 33 receptions on 73 targets for 361 yards, one touchdown and a 53.5 passer rating when targeted.
Since entering the league in 2022, Gardner has been the model for shutdown coverage in the modern NFL. His 91.8 PFF coverage grade over that span leads all players at the position, and the underlying numbers reinforce just how airtight he’s been. Across 1,814 coverage snaps, he’s surrendered only 97 completions on 193 targets for 1,173 yards and five touchdowns — elite numbers over a massive sample.
Among the 125 cornerbacks who’ve been targeted at least 100 times since 2022, Gardner ranks first in completion rate allowed (50.0%), forced incompletion rate (25.4%) and yards allowed per coverage snap (0.65). He’s also second in open-target percentage (30.0%), trailing only Riley Moss, and second to Michael Carter in limiting first downs or touchdowns on his targets (25.9%).
In essence, Gardner has made a career out of closing windows that shouldn’t exist — and keeping opposing passing games on schedule has been almost impossible when he’s the primary defender.
The interception totals don't show it, but Gardner is still doing it in 2025
Even in a down 2025 season for the Jets, Gardner’s tape still speaks to his standing as one of the game’s elite corners. He currently ranks inside the top 25 at the position in PFF coverage grade and continues to erase passing windows with remarkable consistency.
Through nine weeks, he’s allowed just 10 receptions on 22 targets for 170 yards and two touchdowns, all while leading the league in snaps played per reception (20.9) and ranking 12th in snaps per target (9.5). Offenses have largely chosen to look elsewhere rather than test him.
The splash plays haven’t come yet — Gardner is still waiting on his first interception of the year — but the underlying metrics show how dominant he’s been in coverage. He ranks second among qualifying cornerbacks in forced incompletion rate (27.3%) and first in lockdown percentage at 74.1%, a measure that isolates how effectively a defender prevents separation on routes, excluding plays where soft cushions are part of the design.
It’s another reminder that Gardner doesn’t just limit production — he eliminates options.
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