Sauce Gardner's first quotes after Colts trade may sting for Jets fans

The NY Jets pulled off a move that many fans once thought would never come, as general manager Darren Mougey traded away All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for a package of two first-round NFL Draft picks and young wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.

While Gardner clearly thought he was going to be a part of turning the Jets around when he signed a gigantic four-year contract extension, going from a 1-7 team in rebuild mode to a 7-2 team that has eyes on a Super Bowl has to be a major morale boost.

It's clear and obvious to Jets and Colts fans that Gardner is thrilled to be in Indianapolis, as he said he was running around in circles when Darren Mougey informed him of the trade. Gardner said that his big hope was to go to a good situation, and Mougey obliged.

Gardner is also excited about reuniting with college teammate and practice partner Alec Pierce in Indianapolis. Unlike Quinnen Williams, Gardner doesn't sound like someone who is very broken up about swapping his Jets green for that alluring new shade of Colts blue.

Jets fans may not like to hear Sauce Gardner's first Colts comments

Gardner, who is back to his old All-Pro form by re-establishing himself as the best pure cover cornerback in the NFL, will join a loaded Colts secondary that includes Charvarius Ward, Kenny Moore, and Cam Bynum. Good luck trying to throw against this team.

Gardner, like fellow former Jets dynamo Quinnen Williams following his trade to the Dallas Cowboys, had to be frustrated with the fact he hasn't even sniffed a winning record during his time with the team. Going to Indianapolis, which has a history of consistently competing for division titles, should be better for him.

The Jets will move forward with surprisingly solid free agent acquisition Brandon Stephens, promising third-round rookie Azareye'h Thomas, and trade pickup Jarvis Brownlee Jr. as their starting secondary for the remainder of the season. If Thomas is as good as advertised, the Jets might be able to rebound from this trade.

Gardner is a singular talent at the cornerback position that will not be replaced easily. At least the Jets did right by him and sent him to a team with eyes on making a deep playoff run in the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The Jets, meanwhile, can now fully rebuild with Mougey leading the charge.