The Indianapolis Colts are overseas, preparing for their Week 10 matchup in Berlin, Germany. The Colts will challenge their 7-2 record against the 3-5 Atlanta Falcons. Coming out of the trade deadline, the Colts pushed their chips in by acquiring CB Sauce Gardner while the Falcons stood pat.
Gardner is expected to make his debut with the Colts on Sunday. However, a recent injury to DeForest Buckner is causing the team to make a corresponding transaction.
Colts Place DeForest Buckner on IR
On Friday, the Colts made an announcement regarding Buckner.
“The Colts on Friday placed defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (neck) on injured reserve,” the Colts press release states. “Meaning, he will miss at least the next four games; he will be eligible to return starting in Week 15.”
This comes on the heels of a report from Thursday. The other report revealed that Buckner would not be travelling with the team.
“On the Thursday injury report, the Colts have already ruled out defensive tackle DeForest Buckner with a neck injury,” Paul Bretl of Colts Wire wrote on November 6, 2025. “The team is flying to Berlin, Germany (on) Thursday night and will be holding a walkthrough practice on Friday. Buckner will not be traveling with the team.”
The 6-foot-7, 295 lb defensive tackle has four sacks and 42 tackles in the 2025 regular season.
Sauce Gardner’s Debut for the Colts
The other significant move on defense is the addition of Gardner. The former New York Jets cornerback will look to prove himself.
On Thursday, Gardner cleared concussion protocol. That confirms he will suit up for the first time as a member of the Colts on Sunday.
To say that Gardner is excited to make his debut is a bit of an understatement. In the team released transcript of his first media availability, he described his feelings on coming to the Colts and what the last few days have been like for him.
“This was a great situation. God just keeps blessing me in many ways…it just worked out perfect.” Gardner said via the team-published transcript. “I’ve barely slept. Every single minute that I’ve had being here in Indianapolis, I’m doing something – whether it’s with the trainings, whether it’s filling out paperwork, whether it’s practice, watching film…it’s been a crazy 48 hours.”
Gardner on His Colts Debut
With Gardner set to play his first Colts game on Sunday, he’s putting the onus on himself to ensure he knows every play inside and out. He will lean on his new teammates, but he’s not relying on them to ensure he understands everything he needs to.
His expectations for the Week 10 matchup are simple:
“To go out there and ball. Go out there and be vocal, make it like I’ve been here already,” Gardner told the media present on November 6. “That’s the main thing for me, not being somebody where it’s like, you gotta overcommunicate to me because you might think that I don’t know what we’re playing and stuff like that.”
“It’s my job to get everything and understand everything we’re about to play on Sunday in the short stint of time that I have.”
The Colts vs Falcons game will be broadcast at 9:30 AM EST. It will be available to watch on NFL+ and the NFL Network.
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