The Indianapolis Colts pulled off a massive trade, landing former New York Jets All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner for a haul that included two first-round picks and receiver AD Mitchell. Gardner was moved along quickly since the trade and officially made his debut with his new team, but how did he do?
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Interestingly, Gardner was in concussion protocol prior to being traded, and there were concerns that he would not clear the protocol to make his debut. That was not the case, and it was revealed on the telecast during the game that Colts coaches were impressed by how fast he picked up the playbook.
Gardner officially made his debut and was flying all over the field during the Colts’ overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons.
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Gardner secured a third-best six total tackles in the game, which also included four solo and one pass defended. Though there was hope he would make a huge impact in terms of a turnover, he missed out on one by just a small margin.
There was also a moment where Gardner tripped, leading to a two-point conversion for Drake London. London was very effective for the Falcons, securing 104 yards and a touchdown.
Gardner is expected to get better as the weeks progress, as he was only in his first week with the Colts. He was traded days ago, so there is likely to be some growing pains.
Regardless, Gardner bringing in six tackles is a decent amount for joining a new defensive scheme and practicing for only a few days.
The good news is the Colts were able to secure a big win, improving to 8-2 on the season. Gardner went from being on one of the worst teams in the NFL to the best. This is a fact he was very happy about during his first presser with his new team.
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