INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indianapolis Colts sent shockwaves throughout the NFL on Tuesday, as they traded for the New York Jets' two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner before the 4:00 p.m. ET deadline.

In exchange for Gardner, the Colts sent their first-round pick in each of the next two drafts, as well as second-year wide receiver AD Mitchell, to New York.

Spending that kind of draft capital for one player is unprecedented for Colts general manager Chris Ballard, who, in his ninth year, has only traded a first-round pick for a player once. In 2020, the Colts sent the 13th overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.

Ballard released a statement after the trade:

“Having the opportunity to acquire a talented player like Sauce Gardner was one we did not want to pass on. He was a player that we scouted heavily coming out of college and there’s a reason he was the fourth overall pick. Sauce is a proven cornerback. His skill and competitive nature will elevate everyone’s play on the defensive unit. We’re thrilled he’s a Colt. On the same note, AD Mitchell is a great person and a great player. We believe he will have success in New York, and we wish him the best as he enters the next chapter of his career.”

What this trade says is that the 7-2 Colts, who sit atop the AFC standings, believe they are ready to compete for the Super Bowl this year, and for the foreseeable future. You don't take that sort of draft-capital risk, or make that sort of financial commitment, without believing as much.

Adding a proven man-to-man cornerback to a room that already features Charvarius Ward Sr., Kenny Moore II, and Jaylon Jones will allow defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to use more press-man coverage. That should, in turn, buy the defensive line enough time to get to the quarterback. The defense should also now have the resources to blitz more often.

The Colts have needed their defense to step up to the level of their league-leading scoring offense all season, and while they have done well overall, injuries have held the defense back.

In the AFC, you have to pay to play, and not only does the Colts' offense appear that it can keep pace with the Patrick Mahomeses, Josh Allens, and Lamar Jacksons of the world, but now their defense may be able to pose a challenge to those top quarterbacks.

Looking ahead, this year and next combined, Gardner counts only $10.125 million against the salary cap, according to OverTheCap.com, leaving flexibility to re-sign quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce in the offseason.

When it comes to Jones, go ahead and assume he'll be back in 2026. Teams don't trade away first-round picks if they're in the quarterback market. Likewise with Pierce, Mitchell was always the X-factor in whether the Colts would re-sign him, and now Mitchell is headed to New York.

Colts fans have been waiting for a long time to see what it looks like for the team to go "all in." Well, I think we're seeing it now.

Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL. 

BLOCKBUSTER: Indianapolis Colts TRADE for New York Jets' Sauce Gardner, Send Two Firsts, AD Mitchell The Indianapolis Colts pulled off a blockbuster trade, adding CB Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets in exchange for two first-round picks and WR AD Mitchel...