How Sauce Gardner Trade Talks Reportedly Unfolded After Jets Set Parsons-Like Price

Even though the Sauce Gardner trade from the New York Jets to the Indianapolis Colts went down on Tuesday, the seeds for it were reportedly planted a few weeks ago.

Per ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Jets originally had no intention of trading Gardner until the Colts called them "three weeks" prior to the trade deadline.

Cimini noted the Jets officials told the Colts it would take a "Micah Parsons-like" return for them to consider moving the two-time All-Pro cornerback. The price for Parsons was two first-round draft picks and a starting player (Kenny Clark) when the Green Bay Packers acquired him from the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 28.

The Jets also cited another high-profile cornerback trade when the Jacksonville Jaguars were able to get two first-round picks from the Los Angeles Rams for Jalen Ramsey in October 2019.

Gardner is 15 months younger than Parsons and already signed a long-term contract extension (four years, $120.4 million) that runs through the 2030 season. Parsons got a four-year, $188 million extension from the Packers in the deal.

According to Cimini, the Colts initially balked at that asking price before things "shifted a few days before the deadline" when their offers started to improve and by Nov. 3 they told the Jets they "could potentially do" a deal involving two first-round draft picks.

Another problem from Indianapolis' perspective is there didn't seem to be a robust cornerback market. The only other players at the position moved in the final two weeks before the deadline were Michael Carter II, Roger McCreary, Jaire Alexander and Ja'Sir Taylor.

One notable part of Cimini's report is that the Jets didn't "shop" the Colts' offer around to see if another team wanted to beat it and the club was "emphatic" about Adonai Mitchell being included in the offer with the draft picks because they had "positive scouting reports on him and a glaring need at receiver."

At 2:02 p.m. ET on Tuesday, less than two hours before the deadline, the Colts officially announced the acquisition of Gardner for a package of first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 plus Mitchell going back to New York.

It was a stunning move, not least of which because Gardner's extension with the Jets was signed in July. He seemed like a franchise pillar going forward as a 25-year-old star player at a high-value position for a team that didn't have a lot of building blocks currently on the roster.

Instead, the Jets are banking on their ability to turn all of their extra draft capital, which now includes five day one picks over the next two years, to help them build the foundation for a great team.

The Colts are betting that their hot start to this season is an indication they were only one key player away from pushing them over the top in an AFC that looks to be more wide open than it has in a long time.