The Indianapolis Colts added cornerback Sauce Gardner in a pricey trade with the New York Jets on Nov. 4, 2025. The Colts are sending a pair of first-round draft picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to New York.
The Colts aren’t taking on a lot of salary this season as they chase a playoff berth. However, balancing the books will become much more complicated the next few years. Gardner becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2030 season.
The Colts’ first big decision in the offseason will be whether to give quarterback Daniel Jones a huge contract. He’s getting $14.5 million this year, but if he continues playing like he did in the first half of the season, that number could grow exponentially.
Sauce Gardner contract
Sauce Gardner signed a four-year contract extension worth up to $120.4 million with the New York Jets before the 2025 season.
Sauce Gardner salary cap
Here is what he counts toward the salary cap, according to Over the Cap:
Colts cornerback contracts, salaries
The Colts have 11 cornerbacks under contract. Here are the players who count more than $1 million toward the 2025 salary cap:
Colts salary obligations for 2026
Colts who count the most against the 2026 salary cap:
These Colts can become free agents after the 2025 season:
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Colts salary cap implications after trading for Sauce Gardner
Reporting by Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
