The Colts made a huge trade on deadline day.
The trade deadline has now passed.
The Colts made a blockbuster move right at the end by trading two first round picks and wide receiver A.D. Mitchell to the New York Jets.
In return, they received defensive back and former first round pick Sauce Gardner.
Some may say that the compensation for the move is steep, but I think this is a good move by Indianapolis.
Win-now mode?
Is this the sound of the Colts moving their chips into the middle of the table? It would certainly seem so.
You do not give up two first round picks unless you feel your team is nearly there.
Also, it looks like Daniel Jones is going to be the team’s quarterback moving forward. Teams do not give up that kind of compensation if you are going be looking to draft a quarterback in the near future.
In Sauce Gardner, though, the team appear to have got a player who can help them in the present and the future.
The cornerback room in Indianapolis has been decimated with injuries this year. Sauce can help now and moving forwards, as he still has age on his side.
Big price?
The biggest criticism I have seen of this trade so far has been the compensation price. I understand that two firsts does seem like a lot. But you want to go for it? Then that requires big moves.
General Manager Chris Ballard clearly believes in this roster. Not only that, he clearly believes that this roster can win something in the very near future.
Because what is a draft pick at the end of the day? It is not something that can help you now. It is something that could help you in the future.
So why hold on to that if you can use it to your advantage to go and get a player who can come in and make a difference to your team now? And right now, the Colts have an issue at cornerback and need help.
With Sauce Gardner, they have got a proven player to come in and play the position. It helps the team now. And clearly the team feel they are in a position to ‘win now’.
We know that windows of opportunity in this league are so small. You have to take advantage when you can.
Roster building
The Colts have been building a roster carefully over the last few years, and it seems to have gone a little bit under the radar.
I wrote a piece here earlier in the year detailing how I think the Colts are going to be better than people might think this year. But to be fair, even I did not think it was going to go this well!
Ballard clearly believes in this team, and making a trade such as this shows the rest of the league that the Colts mean business.
It also shows the rest of the players in the locker room that he believes in this team. Those are intangibles that you cannot buy.
What are the Colts getting?
The Colts are getting a former first-round pick and a Defensive Rookie of the Year. He is also a two-time All-Pro player in a position that they desperately need help at. That sounds like a good deal to me.
I have seen a few people saying that he may have regressed in recent years. Maybe a change of scenery will fix that. You do not lose talent.
There is no doubt that this is a player that is going to improve the defense straight away.
And the other thing I will say: the last player that the Indianapolis Colts took from New York, who seemed to be on a downward trajectory, seems to be turning out all right!
