NY Jets' Sauce Gardner has perfect response to Vikings trade speculation

Sauce Gardner is a cornerstone of the New York Jets roster. The two-time first-team All-Pro is one of the best defensive players in the NFL and has made it clear that he has no plans of leaving the Jets anytime soon.

Gardner is eligible for an extension this offseason, and all indications are that the two sides are motivated to get a deal done. The Jets will be keeping their superstar cornerback, but not everyone has gotten the memo.

The Minnesota Vikings podcast "Purple Daily" posted a video clip to social media on Wednesday, asking whether Vikings fans would support a trade sending wide receiver Jordan Addison to the Jets for Sauce Gardner.

Of course, the idea is absurd and would never happen. Yet, Vikings fans seemed surprisingly torn, hilariously reinforcing the notion that Gardner might have the worst PR in the NFL.

Gardner responded to the ridiculous proposal, insisting that he thought the two podcast co-hosts "were joking." Everyone is having a laugh at this laughable trade hypothetical.

Sauce Gardner shuts down hypothetical Vikings trade proposal

The fact that this trade idea was even floated is wild enough. But what’s even more absurd? Some Vikings fans actually believe they’d be getting the short end of the deal.

Gardner is the first cornerback in the modern era to be named first-team All-Pro in consecutive seasons to start his career. Even in his "down year" in 2024, Gardner still allowed the fewest catches of any cornerback in football.

We're talking about a player who is one of the top 10 most valuable non-quarterbacks in the NFL, factoring in age, contract, performance, etc. To suggest that he could be traded for a good, young WR2 with off-field issues is downright ridiculous.

The Jets have no interest in trading arguably the organization's best player. Instead, the expectation is that the Jets will make Gardner the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history in the near future.

As for Addison, he’s facing a potential suspension to start the season due to a previous off-field incident. Comparing him to Gardner in trade value is a non-starter. It would likely take Addison plus multiple first-round picks just to come close to matching Gardner’s value, and that’s assuming the Jets would even consider listening.

Gardner's response reflects what most Jets fans already know — there's absolutely no chance he's being traded. Vikings fans can keep dreaming, but that fantasy isn’t turning into reality anytime soon.

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