In what can be considered the biggest trade of the 2025 NFL trade deadline, the Indianapolis Colts acquired two-time Pro Bowler Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets in exchange for two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
The secondary was the one weakness for the Colts this season, as the team was allowing 244.8 passing yards per game, which is the seventh most in the league.
Gardner will be an immediate asset to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and the rest of the defensive players.
With the addition of the former All-Pro to Indianapolis’ defense, one NFL analyst believes it can help another area for the Colts.
Sauce Gardner Helps Defensive Line
GettyIndianapolis Colts pass rusher Laiatu Latu #97
The defensive line was one of the biggest strengths for the Colts in the 2024 season and the biggest strength entering the new season.
Headlined by three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and promising second-year EDGE rusher Laiatu Latu, NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms believes the Colts’ acquisition of Sauce Gardner allows the D-linemen more time to get to opposing quarterbacks.
“Where [trading for Gardner] can maybe help, maybe Lou Anarumo can give him a little more confidence in blitzing,” Simms said on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned show.
“I think that’s where you at least look at it and go, ‘that can help the pass rush.’ It gives them a little more flexibility. It gives the defensive coordinator a little more confidence to go, ‘I trust my back end maybe to dabble in man-to-man just a few more snaps every game now’ to where I can send something kind of off the radar, blitz pressure.”
Gardner now finds himself on a team with one of the best records in the league and a defense that only allows 20.1 points per game, the seventh fewest in the league.
He will be a major piece for the defense in the future for Indy, as they used two first-round draft picks to acquire the player and will take his four-year, $120.4 million contract.
Weakness Turned Strength
GettyIndianapolis Colts safety Camryn Bynum
The Indianapolis Colts recognized that the secondary was a top priority during free agency, spending over $100 million on the position.
Indy signed safety Camryn Bynum to a four-year, $60 million contract and cornerback Charvarius Ward to a three-year, $54 million deal to improve the secondary.
Pairing Gardner with Ward will give the Colts one of the best cornerback duos in the league and now one of the better secondaries as well.
Ward is currently on injured reserve with a concussion, but should return to the team in a couple of weeks. Once back on the field, it could cause problems for opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers.
The Colts made the final moves to polish their roster to be considered a serious contender to make a run in the playoffs.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post NFL Analyst Believes Colts Blockbuster Trade Helps D-Line appeared first on Heavy Sports.