Former New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner suffered a scary injury in Week 13.
Gardner suffered a non-contact injury during the Indianapolis Colts versus Houston Texans game. The initial fear on social media was that Gardner had suffered a torn Achilles.
However, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero revealed that Gardner suffered a “calf strain” and that his “Achilles appears intact.”
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport said Gardner is now considered “week to week” moving forward. The hope is that Gardner will be back before the end of the regular season, Rapoport added.
Gardner Breaks Silence on Scary Injury Situation
“It felt like I got shot in the calf, but it was high, so I wasn’t fearing an Achilles,” Gardner explained to the media this week.
Colts reporter Jake Arthur revealed that Indy head coach Shane Steichen confirmed that Gardner is dealing with a calf injury, “not [an] Achilles” … “IR is not a consideration right now.”
If the Colts placed Gardner on injured reserve, he would have to miss a minimum of four games. By not placing Gardner on IR, they’re indicating that he will return before that.
Jets Still Have Skin in the Game
It was one of the most shocking trades of the year in the NFL.
On trade deadline day, the Jets shipped off Gardner to Indianapolis in exchange for two future first-round draft choices and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Mitchell, 23, is coming off the best game of his NFL career. The former Texas product finished Week 13 with eight receptions for 102 receiving yards and a touchdown. Mitchell had done a phenomenal job with his ability to separate from defenders. However, he has struggled with drops.
The good news is that the rest of this season is an evaluation mode for the Jets.
On July 15, the Jets made Gardner the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. It was a four-year deal for $120.4 million. Less than four months later, he was traded in a blockbuster deal.
While Gardner may no longer be a part of the Jets, fans still have plenty of reason to stay plugged in. The Jets own the Colts’ first-round pick in 2026. In other words, how Indy performs will directly impact where that first-round pick lands in a couple of months.
Colts Are in Some Real Trouble
If the 2026 NFL draft started today, the Jets would hold the No. 7 and No. 23 overall picks in the first round, respectively, per Tankathon.
Indy is 8-4 and currently resides in first place in the AFC South. However, their schedule is among the most difficult in football the rest of the way. Three of their final five all come on the road.
The combined record of those remaining opponents is 41-20. The Colts still have both games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, playing against the Seattle Seahawks, a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, and finally a contest against the Houston Texans.
If the Colts miss the playoffs, the lowest that first-round pick can be is 18th overall. The Jets have two first-round draft choices in 2026. In the 2027 NFL draft, the Jets will have three first-round picks at their disposal.
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