When the New York Jets shipped All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts back on November 4, it looked like a bold, forward-thinking move-one that would take time to evaluate. But less than a month later, the early returns are already tilting heavily in the Jets’ favor.
Let’s be clear: it’s rare to call a trade a win or loss this quickly, especially when future first-round picks are involved. But what’s unfolded in Indianapolis since that deal has been nothing short of a collapse-and it’s making the Jets look like the smartest team in the room.
Colts’ Collapse Post-Trade
At the time of the trade, the Colts were flying high. An 8-2 record, a top spot in the AFC, and a defense that just added one of the league’s elite young corners in Gardner. Add in the surprisingly steady play of quarterback Daniel Jones, and Indy looked like a legitimate Super Bowl threat.
That narrative unraveled fast.
Since acquiring Gardner, the Colts have dropped four of their last five games. The biggest blow came last week when Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles tear. Just like that, the quarterback situation went from stable to desperate.
And desperate times call for… well, desperate signings.
Philip Rivers Comes Out of Retirement
Yes, that Philip Rivers. The 45-year-old, bolo tie-wearing, trash-talking quarterback who last suited up for the Colts in 2020 is now back in the NFL. Indianapolis signed Rivers to the practice squad Tuesday after a workout that marked his first time on an NFL field in four years.
The plan? Get Rivers up to speed quickly and hope he can stabilize a spiraling season. The Colts have now fallen out of the AFC playoff picture entirely, and with four games left, they’re clinging to postseason hopes by a thread.
Rivers’ résumé is impressive-over 63,000 passing yards, 421 touchdowns, and eight Pro Bowl selections across 17 seasons. But he hasn’t thrown a live NFL pass since the 2020 playoffs. Expecting him to step in and save a season that’s slipping away fast is a tall order, even for a borderline Hall of Famer.
Meanwhile, in New York...
The Jets, on the other hand, are watching all of this unfold with a grin. They bet big on the future when they dealt Gardner, and it’s looking like that bet is about to pay off.
New York now owns two first-round picks in 2026: their own, currently projected at No. 7 overall, and the Colts’ pick, which could sneak into the top 18 if Indy continues to slide. That’s a powerful combo for a team that could be in the market for a quarterback-or looking to trade up to grab one.
And there’s more: the Jets also hold the Colts’ 2027 first-rounder. If this season’s unraveling is a sign of deeper issues in Indy, that pick could become another valuable asset down the line.
The Verdict So Far
The Gardner trade was always about long-term positioning for the Jets. But with the Colts stumbling and now turning to a 45-year-old quarterback who’s been out of the league for half a decade, the short-term benefits are starting to show.
Every Colts loss boosts the value of that draft capital. Every misstep post-trade makes the Jets look more like draft-day bandits. And every snap Rivers takes in these final four games will be under a microscope-not just in Indy, but in New York, where fans are already dreaming about what those picks could become.
What once looked like a calculated risk by the Jets is quickly becoming a franchise-altering win. And if Rivers can’t pull off a miracle, that win might only grow larger in the weeks to come.