'Sauce Lost the Sauce,' NFL Coach Calls Out Gardner, 'He Got Traded for a Reason' by Jets to Colts

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner landed ninth overall on the latest top-10 cornerbacks list from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, who posts annual rankings for each position every offseason after polling coaches, executives and scouts.

That being said, Gardner, who was fifth on this list last year, got some mixed reviews, including from one NFL offensive coach.

"Sauce lost the sauce," the coach told Fowler. "Now, he got traded for a reason -- he's a long strider and has the confidence to overshadow his weaknesses. He can press and play Cover 2. But he's not going to tackle all the time, he's not going to crack replace, and when playing zone, sometimes he's not playing it correctly. It's just hard for him to hold up over the course of the game."

An NFL personnel evaluator had this to say on Gardner, who the Colts acquired from the New York Jets last November for two first-round draft picks (2026 and 2027) and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.

"Not many move like him," the evaluator told Fowler regarding the 6'3", 190-pound Fowler. "He moves like a much smaller man. But he's not making plays at the same rate he was."

One can argue that Gardner was the NFL's best cornerback in 2022, his rookie season after the Jets selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.

The former Cincinnati star led the NFL with 20 pass breakups while amassing 75 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He won the Associated Press' Defensive Rookie of the Year award and made First Team All-Pro as well.

Opposing quarterbacks only had a 62.7 passer rating, one passing touchdown and 9.8 yards per completion against his coverage with him defending all year, per Pro Football Reference.

Gardner still fared well in 2023 (Pro Bowl, All-Pro First Teamer again). However, on can argue he hasn't had that same spark of late.

Of note, Gardner's pass breakups have fallen to nine each of the last two seasons (he did miss six games with injury in 2025, though). He's only had one interception over the last two years and saw opposing quarterbacks' yards per completion jump to 16.4 in 2024 and 13.7 in 2025, per Pro Football Reference.

At least a few talent evaluators have taken notice of his recent play. That being said, it's certainly possible the 24-year-old Gardner returns to his elite form. He can have the benefit of a full offseason with his new team, one that should at least be competitive and fight for the playoffs on paper.

Most importantly, Gardner told the Indianapolis Star's Nathan Brown last April that he's "fully healthy" as well as he continues his next chapter in the league.