Gardner (calf) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Seahawks.
The fourth-year pro from Cincinnati didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday and is now in line to miss his second consecutive game due to a non-contact calf injury. While Gardner remains sidelined in Week 15, expect Mekhi Blackmon and Johnathan Edwards to operate as Indianapolis' top boundary cornerbacks.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: DNP to kick off Week 15 prep
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Gardner (calf) won't practice Wednesday, Mike Chappell of FOX 59/CBS 4 Sports reports.
Gardner hasn't practiced or played since sustaining a calf injury Nov. 30 against the Texans. The Colts placed fellow starting cornerback Charvarius Ward (concussion) on injured reserve Wednesday, so they will be significantly depleted in the secondary against Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks if Gardner isn't available Sunday.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Likely won't be placed on IR
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The Colts are not considering placing Gardner (calf) on injured reserve at the moment, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports.
Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters Monday that Gardner's "Achilles is good," but the 25-year-old will still miss an undetermined amount of time due to a calf injury. Even so, Indianapolis is not expected to place the All-Pro corner on IR, which is an encouraging sign for his recovery timeline. Since being dealt to the Colts at the trade deadline, Gardner has appeared in three games and tallied 13 total tackles and two passes defensed. While he's sidelined, expect Mekhi Blackmon to start opposite Charvarius Ward in Indianapolis' secondary.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Set to miss time with calf strain
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Gardner is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his calf Monday and is expected to miss some time, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Though Gardner was feared to have suffered an Achilles tear after going down on a non-contact play early in Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Texans, preliminary tests have left him and the Colts confident that he avoided a worst-case scenario and instead sustained a calf strain. The MRI will confirm the extent of Gardner's injury, but at the very least, the star cornerback seems highly likely to miss the Colts' Week 14 game against the Jaguars, a contest that could have major implications for the AFC South title race. Through his first three games with Indianapolis since being acquired from the Jets at the trade deadline, Gardner has compiled 13 tackles (11 solo) and two passes defensed.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Achilles appears intact
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Gardner is believed to have suffered a calf strain during Sunday's contest against the Texans, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Gardner's Achilles appears to be intact, a fortunate report after the cornerback needed assistance returning to the locker room. Mekhi Blackmon will likely finish Sunday's game as the primary outside cornerback with Gardner being ruled out, but the starting corner may not be absent as long as initially feared.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Won't return Sunday
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Gardner (calf) has been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's game against the Texans, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.
Gardner had to be helped to the locker room early in the first quarter after sustaining a calf injury, which is severe enough that he won't return. Mekhi Blackmon should see more work at outside corner the rest of the way.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Leaves Sunday's game early
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Gardner (calf) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Texans.
Gardner appeared to injure his calf on the Colts' second defensive play of the game, and the fourth-year cornerback was unable to walk off the field and into the locker room without assistance, per Stephen Holder of ESPN.com. With Johnathan Edwards (coach's decision) a healthy scratch, Mekhi Blackmon will move into the second outside corner spot opposite Charvarius Ward.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Seven solo stops
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Gardner recorded seven tackles (seven solo) with one pass defensed in Sunday's 23-20 overtime loss to the Chiefs.
Gardner has had his two most productive games of the season since joining the Colts, logging a combined 13 tackles -- 11 of which have been solo. He also has one pass defensed in each of those matchups.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Productive in debut
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Gardner recorded six tackles (four solo) and a pass defended during Indianapolis' win over the Falcons on Sunday.
Gardner had a strong outing in his debut with the Colts, as he racked up a season-high six tackles. However, Drake London did get by him to score a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter. Gardner will look to build on this performance and continue producing following the team's upcoming bye week.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Clears concussion protocol
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The Colts announced Thursday that Gardner has cleared the concussion protocol, Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan Indianapolis reports.
Gardner appears all set to make his team debut Sunday versus Atlanta, though it remains to be seen how much of a role he'll have while still in the process of picking up a new defensive scheme. The Colts acquired Gardner in a trade with the Jets on Tuesday, in exchange for a pair of future first-round draft picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Logs full practice Wednesday
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Gardner (concussion) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice.
Prior to his trade to the Colts, Gardner was diagnosed with a concussion during the Jets' Week 7 loss to the Panthers, which caused him to be sidelined for Week 8. His ability to practice in full Wednesday is a sign that he is progressing through the league's five-step concussion protocol, but he'll need to be cleared by an independent neurologist in order to make his Colts debut against the Falcons on Sunday.
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Colts' Sauce Gardner: Practicing Wednesday
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Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters that Gardner (concussion) will practice Wednesday, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports.
Before being traded from the Jets to the Colts on Tuesday, Gardner sustained a concussion in New York's Week 8 win over the Bengals. Steichen added that Gardner will make his Colts debut in the Week 10 matchup against the Falcons in Berlin only if he clears the NFL's five-step concussion protocol by game time.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Ruled out for Week 8
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Gardner (concussion) won't play Sunday against the Bengals, Eric Allen of the Jets' official site reports.
Gardner will sit out after sustaining a concussion in the Jets' Week 7 loss to the Panthers. Jarvis Brownlee or Qwan'tez Stiggers figure to draw the start at outside cornerback opposite Brandon Stephens against Cincinnati's fearsome receiving corps. Gardner will have extra time to clear the league's five-step concussion protocol with the Jets on bye in Week 9.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Diagnosed with concussion
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Head coach Aaron Glenn said after Sunday's 13-6 loss to the Panthers that Gardner has entered the league's concussion protocol, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports.
Gardner took a hit to the head during the second half of Sunday's game. Now that he's in the league's five-step concussion protocol, Gardner would have to be cleared by an independent neurologist in order to be available for the Jets' Week 8 road clash against the Bengals on Sunday, Oct. 26. Jarvis Brownlee would be the next man up at outside corner if Gardner misses time.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Possible concussion
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Gardner is being evaluated for a possible concussion Sunday versus the Panthers, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports.
Gardner took a blow to the head in the second half of Sunday's matchup, and his status for the rest of the game is now uncertain. In his absence, Jarvis Brownlee is a top candidate to see an increase in workload at cornerback.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Exits Sunday's game
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Gardner is being evaluated for a head injury and is questionable to return.
Gardner appeared to suffer the injury while making a tackle in the fourth quarter and went to the locker room after being evaluated by trainers in the blue medical tent. With Tony Adams (hip) inactive, Qwan'tez Stiggers will likely see more work at outside corner for as long as Gardner is out of the game.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Back to full Thursday
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Gardner (fibula) was a full participant in practice Thursday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.
Gardner's good to go after kicking off Week 1 prep with a limited practice session Wednesday. Barring a setback, the star cornerback will be available Week 1 against DK Metcalf and the Steelers.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Expected to be fine for Week 1
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Coach Aaron Glenn said Monday that Gardner (calf) is on track to play Week 1 against the Steelers on Sept. 7, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.
Gardner has missed some time with a calf issue this month, but he returned to practice last week. The soon-to-be 25-year-old (Aug. 31) is hoping to return to his All-Pro form after landing a massive extension from the Jets this summer. Gardner won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and was named a first-team All-Pro each of his first two seasons before his play slipped some in 2024.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Becomes highest-paid corner
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The Jets and Gardner agreed to terms on a four-year, $120.4 million contract extension Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
In back-to-back days, the Jets have locked in two of their first-round picks from the 2022 Draft after Garrett Wilson agreed to a four-year extension Monday. This deal for Gardner includes $85.653 million guaranteed, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, and also makes him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL in terms of average annual value. Through his first three pro seasons, Gardner has been a first-team All-Pro two times, though he does have only three interceptions among 41 pass defenses in 48 regular-season appearances. He'll continue to serve as a shut-down corner in New York's defense.
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Jets' Sauce Gardner: Present at minicamp
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Gardner is present for the Jets' mandatory minicamp, although he continues to seek a new contract, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
Gardner is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he's coming off a 2024 campaign in which he recorded 49 total tackles (36 solo), including 1.0 sacks, while also adding nine passes defensed with an interception over 15 regular-season games. The cornerback is considered to be among the best in the league, and with the Panthers' Jaycee Horn and the Texans' Derek Stingley resetting the cornerback market with new contracts this offseason, Gardner is looking to get similar compensation from the Jets.
