Sauce Gardner: 'I'm the Colts' first-round pick twice' as team eyes playoff return

The Indianapolis Colts will not have a first-round draft pick in 2025 due to a blockbuster trade made during the 2025 season. The team sent its 2026 and 2027 first-round selections to the New York Jets in exchange for cornerback Sauce Gardner, a move that signaled Indianapolis’ belief in its Super Bowl contention potential.

However, injuries to Gardner and quarterback Daniel Jones derailed the season, culminating in a seven-game losing streak that eliminated the Colts from playoff contention. The disappointing finish sparked criticism over the cost of acquiring Gardner, particularly given the team’s failure to improve despite the trade.

Jones is currently progressing through Achilles tendon rehabilitation, while Gardner has declared himself fully healthy ahead of what could be a pivotal 2025 season. The outcome may serve as a referendum on the trade’s long-term value.

Gardner: ‘I’m the first-round pick two times’

Gardner addressed the media this week, dismissing any added pressure from the circumstances surrounding his arrival. “I’m the first-round pick — I’m the first-round pick two times,” he told the Indianapolis Star via Joel A. Erickson. “We’re gonna get our money. We’re gonna do our thing on defense, especially, but the whole team is gonna do our thing. There’s no pressure. We think about what we do have, and that’s me. If I’ve gotta be the first-round pick the next two years, then I’m gonna work regardless. There’s already a lot on my plate, me being me, but it ain’t nothin’ I can’t handle, and I feel like we’ve got the guys to get where we wanna go, and bare minimum, that’s getting to the playoffs. I’m very confident in this team, in general, and the coaches and players and everything.”

Colts face high stakes in 2025

The Colts have not qualified for the playoffs since 2020. A second consecutive missed postseason would undermine the rationale behind the Gardner trade and raise serious questions about the team’s direction. It could also destabilize the coaching staff and front office ahead of the 2027 season, placing additional scrutiny on Gardner as the franchise’s most visible investment.

Gardner, however, remains unshaken in his belief in the team’s potential. With a healthy roster and renewed focus, the cornerback is positioning himself as the cornerstone of Indianapolis’ defensive resurgence and a key figure in the club’s playoff push.