Jets' latest pick relieves the residual burn of Sauce Gardner trade

The New York Jets had two first-round picks heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, thanks to last year's trade deadline deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Out was Sauce Gardner, in was Adonai Mitchell, and the Colts' first-rounders in 2026 and 2027.

The Gardner trade felt like a blast to the chest when it was first reported. One of the Jets' few stars and fan-favorites was dealt just like that, with no warning. But as news of the return started to flow in, it softened the blow ever so slightly.

Now here we are, five months later, and one of the major pieces of the Gardner trade, the 2026 first-round pick, has been decided.

Can the player the Jets selected 16th overall, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, help alleviate the burn of the Sauce trade?

Jets' Kenyon Sadiq will try to help fill the void left behind by Sauce Gardner

This far removed from the trade, you would be hard-pressed to find a Jets fan who doesn't feel at least a semblance of good about the haul they received in return.

Mitchell showed flashes of being a legitimate receiving option down the stretch of the 2025 season, hauling 24 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. He'll certainly have a role within the Jets offense next season.

Meanwhile, the tight end they added, Sadiq, is going to be a key piece of the Jets' offense going forward. Is he going to be the two-time All-Pro that Gardner was to start his career? Probably not.

But Sadiq doesn't need to do that; he just needs to live up to the tantalizing scouting report given to him by Oregon expert Nicholas Rome.

"Kenyon Sadiq's freakish athletic ability makes him a great tight end in this modern era of football. Sadiq is too quick for most linebackers and safeties while he's bigger than most cornerbacks. Size may be a concern on the blocking end, but it rarely became an issue at the college level. "

Nicholas Rome

There's still one last piece of the Gardner trade that needs to be decided, and that's Indianapolis' 2027 first-round pick. To make things even sweeter, the 2027 class is supposed to be a special one, and the Jets have the Dallas Cowboys' first-round pick to be excited about then, too.

It will be tough to fully judge that trade until the two players the Jets draft and develop, and then we'll really see if dealing a lockdown cornerback was worth it for the haul they got.

Until then, Jets fans can hope that Sadiq and Mitchell make winning plays on the field in 2026.

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