Sauce Gardner mentioned he was “working in circles in the home” when he came upon the Jets traded him to the Colts earlier than Tuesday's 4 p.m. commerce deadline.
Throughout his first press convention in Indianapolis on Thursday, the two-time All-Professional cornerback defined why the deal “made sense” — and why the Colts have been a superb touchdown place for him.
“I didn't even have time to course of all of it the best way,” Gardner, 25, mentioned. “I simply knew that I used to be coming into an excellent scenario so I used to be working in circles in the home. As a result of the very first thing I'm considering is, ‘I'm about to be again with my boy [wideout] Alec [Pierce].'”
Gardner and Pierce have been teammates on the College of Cincinnati.
“[The Colts are] profitable proper now, so I simply know what I can add,” Gardner mentioned. “I used to be pleased however on the identical time I didn't don't have any time to be like, ‘Dang I'm getting traded proper now.' It was all good vibes as a result of on the finish of the day who's going to really feel sorry? That's a part of the enterprise.
“These final couple days I've been having to study the playbook at a tempo that I didn't know I used to be able to studying the playbook… I don't need to say shocked was the phrase, as a result of I do know that what the Colts provided was one thing that was laborious to cross up on, particularly the way it's been over time. It made sense.”
Indianapolis shipped two first-round picks and vast receiver AD Mitchell to the Jets for Gardner — whom New York chosen fourth total within the 2022 NFL Draft.
“It was an excellent scenario for me. I used to be really laying in mattress with my lady, and I used to be simply chilling [when I got the call],” Gardner mentioned with out naming anybody. “… Clearly, the commerce deadline was developing, so I used to be identical to, ‘Please let it's my excellent scenario. I don't need to go to a dropping group… or a group on the opposite facet of the world.'”
Gardner was lately linked to rapper Ice Spice and mannequin Brooklyn Nikole.
The Jets additionally despatched three-time Professional Bowl defensive deal with Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys in one other blockbuster earlier than Tuesday's deadline.
They're getting a 2026 second-rounder, a 2027 first-rounder and defensive deal with Mazi Smith from Dallas within the deal.
With a 1-7 file, the Jets' hearth sale alerts a full rebuild below new coach Aaron Glenn and basic supervisor Darren Mougey.
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Gardner, in the meantime, strikes nearer to his native Michigan and will get a recent begin with a Colts group that's 7-2 and tied with the Broncos and Patriots atop the AFC.
He was a full participant in Thursday's apply after clearing the NFL's concussion protocol.
Gardner ought to be accessible for the Colts' conflict with the Falcons (3-5) in Berlin on Sunday.
