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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 04: Mike MacDonald of the Seattle Seahawks looks on against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lumen Field on October 04, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks have yet to start the 2026 season at the same pace they finished 2025.
The majority of this year’s problems have come from the offense, where quarterback Sam Darnold appears to be on the mend since returning from a glute injury suffered early in the team’s season opener against the New England Patriots.
But the Seahawks could also look to shore up an area of weakness on defense – cornerback. Although the team leads in total defense and passing defense, there is no doubt that Josh Jobe’s game does not quite match the rest of the secondary.
So a new trade proposal has a move to Seattle for Indianapolis Colts cornerback, Sauce Gardner.
Colts May Be Open to Trading Sauce Gardner
The Indianapolis Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday after the team fell to 2-4 on the year following a loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans.
As such, many believe that changes could be afoot at Indy as new owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon looks to reshape the team in her image, succeeding her father, Jim, after his death in May 2025.
With the Colts currently without a first round draft pick in 2027 despite having needs in key areas of the roster, such as quarterback, Irsay-Gordon could look to recoup some of that draft capital by bailing on one of Ballard’s biggest flop moves. The trade for Sauce Gardner at the 2025 trade deadline in November.
Sauce Gardner Will Add New Flexibility to Second
The Seahawks currently sit at 3-3 after six games; three games behind the division leaders, the San Francisco 49ers.
If Seattle is to retain any hope of winning the division after their mixed start, improving the consistency of the passing offense will certainly be a priority. But behind this is ensuring that the strength of the team remains strong.
The addition of Gardner will see the Seahawks create a very talented cornerback tandem in Devon Witherspoon – who will have another All-Pro year in 2026 – along with another All-Pro in the Indianapolis Colt.
Although the Seahawks only signed Jobe to a three-year, $24 million deal this past offseason, trading for the 25-year-old won’t negate his raison d’etre on defense. Instead, it actually allows the Seahawks great flexibility to move Witherspoon in and out of the slot; the position he played almost half the time in his first two years in the league.
Right now, Nick Emmanwori is being used as a nickel big, but in more obvious passing situations, the Seahawks may need to move Witherspoon inside and roll Emmanwori down into the box as a hybrid third safety in dime sets; or as the strong/box safety in the single-high look.
Because of Sauce Gardner’s mediocre start to the season, and the fact that he’s a year older and now on an expensive four-year, $120.4 million contract, he won’t cost the same high price as the two first round picks the Colts paid last year. The price many believed was too steep even at the time.
But it stands to reason that for a player who has made two All-Pro teams and is only 25 years old; though he struggled at times over his four-and-a-half years in the league; will still need a first round pick as compensation.
The Seattle Seahawks received: Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner
Indianapolis Colts received: 2027 1st round pick
Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer covering the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his sports writing career in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas