Stephen Holder
BERLIN — Sauce Gardner reveled along with his new Indianapolis Colts teammates within the aftermath of considered one of his most thrilling victories as an NFL participant and his first win this season.
“That was the primary time that I have been in a locker room that electrical this yr after a sport as a result of that was my first win I have been part of,” stated Gardner, who was traded from the New York Jets to the Colts in a blockbuster deal final week and missed the struggling Jets' Week 8 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sunday's walk-off victory over the Atlanta Falcons was, Gardner hopes, the start of one thing large. The Colts prevailed in extra time at Berlin's historic Olympic Stadium and Gardner stated it should stay a particular second for him.
Gardner completed with a team-high 31 protection snaps, based on Subsequent Gen Stats. He was focused as the closest defender six instances, and within the second half, the Falcons have been 0-for-3 with a go defended when concentrating on Gardner.
“I am undoubtedly by no means going to overlook that one,” he stated.
Equally, for the Colts, the beginning of Gardner's tenure in Indianapolis marks an necessary second for the franchise.
There are implications from this beautiful deal that go properly past no matter contributions the two-time All-Professional cornerback brings. And people ramifications lengthen to issues that don't have anything to do with the Colts' new star participant.
This is a better take a look at a number of the fallout.
To be clear, conversations about locking up Jones past his present one-year contract have been taking place internally for months at Colts headquarters, based on group sources. The concept was broached, in principle, even earlier than Jones began the season as one of many hottest quarterbacks within the NFL.
However now, with Jones main the league in passing yards and finishing a career-best 70% of his go makes an attempt, there may be infinitely extra conviction. The Colts' resolution to fork over two first-round picks to the Jets within the Gardner commerce — a large haul by NFL requirements — will not be one made by a group preoccupied with buying its future beginning quarterback.
Earlier than drafting Anthony Richardson Sr. in 2023, basic supervisor Chris Ballard decided that he would use as many assets as attainable to land a long-term starter. That included utilizing a number of first-round picks, if mandatory.
Now, by deciding to forgo their first-round choices for the following two seasons, the Colts appear to be telling the world what they consider Jones and their future intentions for him.
Overshadowed by Jones' emergence and the spectacular feats of working again Jonathan Taylor is the efficiency of Pierce.
He is a deep risk, per regular, main the NFL in yards per reception for the second straight season (20.9). However Pierce has added an enormous dimension to his sport in 2025.
Pierce has lengthy wished the chance to diversify his sport, and the Colts are lastly affording him that probability. Final season, 41% of Pierce's receptions got here on “go” routes. This season, that quantity is all the way down to 27%. Why? As a result of Pierce is working a better number of routes, each brief and intermediate, and he has gained the coaches' belief to take action as a result of he has noticeably sharpened his route working.
Whereas he is at all times been regarded for his velocity, now he is displaying that he is rather more than a man who runs by defenders.
This is why this issues: The Colts had internally determined way back that re-signing Pierce after this season was not financially prudent, based on a number of sources. With the presence of 2024 second-round decide Adonai Mitchell and his tantalizing expertise, the Colts had come to phrases with shedding Pierce as a free agent within the profitable broad receiver market and seen Mitchell as his substitute.
However after Mitchell's struggles with consistency, the Colts agreed to acquiesce to the Jets' request to incorporate Mitchell within the Gardner commerce.
It was not a simple resolution. The Colts have been inclined to not embrace Mitchell, based on a number of sources. However the evolution of Pierce's sport probably impacted the choice. The considering on Pierce has shifted, based on sources, and the concept of him returning is now very actual. His very shut friendship with Gardner, his school teammate, solely provides motivation on the participant's half to get a deal carried out.
Ballard will get a vote of confidence
The Colts' late proprietor Jim Irsay launched an announcement after final season publicly admitting he mulled making adjustments at basic supervisor and head coach earlier than deciding to present GM Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen yet one more shot of their respective posts.
Now, with the Colts rolling and tied for the most effective report within the NFL (8-2), Ballard was simply approved by possession to place the ending touches on one of many greatest trades in membership historical past.
Does that sound like a man whose job is on the road?
Jim Irsay died in Might, however his daughter, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, has been on the controls since. This commerce was the most important transfer made in her tenure as main proprietor, and it suggests loads about her long-term intentions with Ballard. The commerce hamstrings the group within the close to time period with the lack of the 2 first-round picks, and that requires a major degree of belief within the individual making the soccer choices.
There is a lengthy approach to go, however, proper now, Ballard — who's signed by way of 2026 — appears lots nearer to getting a contract extension than being proven the door.
