Colts saw how valuable Sauce Gardner can be in Week 17, which is why they have to hold him out of Week 18
There’s no reason for Sauce Gardner to play in Week 18, but he will be a very important part of the Colts’ future.
The Indianapolis Colts’ decision to trade for Sauce Gardner has received mixed reactions. At the time, many admired the team’s decision to go all-in on an 8-2 team. The team’s collapse has led many to believe that making that trade and losing their first-rounders in 2026 and 2027 was a mistake.
Hindsight is always 20-20, but to me, this regime was criticised for years for being too passive and not making the big move. They finally did it, and everything around them fell apart after. A truly unfortunate situation, but there needs to be a bit more nuance when evaluating the move.
Gardner will be a big part of this team’s future, and when healthy, he makes a major impact on the defense. For that very reason, he needs to be held out of Week 18, though.
Sauce Gardner makes a big difference for the Colts’ defense, and for that very reason, he needs to sit out the Colts’ season finale
Due to injury, the Colts haven’t seen Gardner on the field as much as they would have liked. However, when he has been in, he’s had a significant impact on the defense. He will be one of the true foundational pieces of the Colts’ future, and in the long run, I don’t think people will have as much animosity when discussing the trade.
Take today’s loss against the Jaguars, for example. Just a week after the team’s worst defensive showing of the year, it was the main reason the team was in this one till the end. Gardner makes plays in coverage, but his being out there also increases what Lou Anarumo can do in terms of play-calling.
For that reason, the team can’t send him out in Week 18 in a meaningless game. He is far from 100% and didn’t finish Sunday’s game, as he still deals with the calf injury that has held him out for the past few weeks. Give him Week 18 off and a full offseason to get healthy and learn the defense, and he should be ready to play elite football in 2026, which should be the priority now.
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