The Jets may have ruined the Colts with the Sauce Gardner trade

New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey opted to use the trade deadline as an opportunity to accelerate their much-needed rebuild. Sensing that the team was going nowhere this year, the Jets traded two of their defensive stalwarts in cornerback Sauce Gardner and tackle Quinnen Williams.

The Garner trade saw the Jets get a huge haul from the Indianapolis Colts, as they surrendered their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks. It was understandable why the Colts made this trade at the time.

They looked like surefire playoff contenders and potential favorites to win the Super Bowl before the trade deadline. Quarterback Daniel Jones played a role in that, having one of the best seasons of his career. Adding Gardner to their defense would certainly help.

But Gardner is currently sidelined, as he suffered a calf injury last week against the Houston Texans. There currently is no timeline for Gardner's return, but it feels like they avoided a catastrophe.

They did, until Sunday happened.

Jets watch from afar as the Sauce Gardner trade implodes for the Colts

Taking on the rival Jaguars in rainy Jacksonville, Jones went down with a non-contact injury to his right leg after attempting a pass. Jones was frustrated, as he slammed his helmet repeatedly on the turf as he was being evaluated by members of the Colts medical staff. Jones limped off the field and into the locker room.

To make matters worse for the Colts, Jones was quickly ruled out of the game with an Achilles injury. Reports confirm that Jones has suffered a torn Achilles and will miss the rest of the season and potentially some of 2026.

Jones was already dealing with a fibula fracture, and his production did dip a bit. He continued to tough it out in an attempt to lead the Colts to a playoff spot.

With Jones out for the rest of the season, the Colts' playoff chances are only getting slimmer. The Houston Texans have been on fire, ironically, after Davis Mills filled in for an injured C.J. Stroud. Not to mention that the Jaguars, though inconsistent, now have control of the AFC South.

Then, there is the Anthony Richardson factor. Richardson lost out on the starter's job after losing a training camp battle with Jones. But since Week 6, Richardson has been on the injured reserve due to a broken orbital bone, and he's yet to be cleared for football activities. So, it would be Riley Leonard for the rest of the way.

To make matters worse for the Colts, they don't have a first-round pick in 2026 or 2027. So, that hurts their chances of drafting a top quarterback.

Meanwhile, the Jets have all the ammunition to potentially pull off a first-round trade to move up to take a top quarterback prospect, such as Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. Plus, if the Colts lose games the rest of the season, their 2026 pick moves up higher,

The vibes were great for the Colts. But in back-to-back weeks, the Gardner trade looks to have backfired for them.