The New York Jets have made a blockbuster trade, sending cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts. Before the deal was made official, Gardner had one last message to Jets fans.
New York acquired a pair of first-round picks for Gardner, making it a tough trade to turn down. Still, the cornerback had spent his entire NFL career with the Jets to this point. He won't soon forget the memories he made with the franchise.
“New York it's been real,” Gardner wrote on X, formerly Twitter. The post was accompanied with a green heart emoji.
Over his four years with the Jets, Gardner put up 201 tackles, 46 passes defended and three interceptions. He was named the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year, earning two Pro Bowl and All-Pro nominations as well.
Gardner hasn't been able to hit the 20 passes defended and two picks he put up as a rookie. But he still is regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. His 71.3 grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 22/107 cornerbacks. Sauce has been excellent against the run, ranking seventh with his 80.9 grade.
The Colts are coming off of a disappointing Week 9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, they are still 7-2 on the year. They believe that Gardner could be the missing piece for a deep playoff run.
While they did earn a win before their bye week, the Jets are just 1-7. It's clear the team needs a lot more help to get back into contention. Gardner may have been a star defensively for them, but New York valued the rich draft capital.
Gardner's trade is sure to send shockwaves through the NFL. As he prepares to join the Colts, the cornerback had to address Jets Nation one last time.
