When Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard dealt for cornerback Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline, he took a chance on more than the team making the playoffs this season. He bet Indy's future a bit as well. He gave the New York Jets two future first-round choices for the CB.
Indianapolis could really have used the first-round pick in 2026. The team might have made a play for a quarterback and then hoped that the QB developed into a long-term starter. That kind of selection is less likely to happen in the second round and beyond.