Sauce Gardner will wear No. 1 for Colts, Josh Downs moves to No. 2
Lead: Cornerback Sauce Gardner, acquired by the Indianapolis Colts in a blockbuster Tuesday trade, will continue to wear jersey No. 1 for his new team. The change was confirmed by the Colts after the deal that sent Gardner from the New York Jets to Indianapolis. Wide receiver Josh Downs, who wore No. 1 this season, will switch to No. 2; his brother Caleb wears No. 2 at Ohio State. Gardner is expected to make his Colts debut in Berlin against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Key Takeaways
- Sauce Gardner, a 2022 first-round pick (No. 4 overall), will keep jersey No. 1 after being traded to the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday.
- The Colts traded their next two first-round picks plus wide receiver A.D. Mitchell to the New York Jets to acquire Gardner.
- Josh Downs, who wore No. 1 for the Colts this season, will move to No. 2 and posted a photo of the new look on social media.
- Gardner’s debut for Indianapolis is scheduled for this Sunday in the NFL international game in Berlin against the Atlanta Falcons.
- The number change affects merchandise, roster listings and public-facing branding for both players immediately.
- The trade reshapes Indianapolis’s secondary and removes two future first-round draft assets from the Colts’ inventory.
Background
Sauce Gardner was selected No. 4 overall by the New York Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft and elected to wear jersey No. 1 from the start of his NFL career. That single-digit number became part of his on-field identity as a premier cornerback during his time in New York. On Tuesday, the Jets completed a trade sending Gardner to Indianapolis — a move that shifted one of the league’s most recognizable defensive players to a new market.
Jersey numbers in the NFL are both symbolic and commercial: a player’s number appears on broadcasts, merchandise and marketing materials. Josh Downs, a Colts wide receiver, had been wearing No. 1 this season; he agreed to change to No. 2 following the trade. The Colts confirmed the switch publicly after the deal closed and ahead of the team’s international game this weekend, when visibility and jersey sales often spike.
Main Event
The trade was announced Tuesday and, per team reporting, involved the Colts sending their next two first-round draft picks and wide receiver A.D. Mitchell to the New York Jets in exchange for Sauce Gardner. The transaction is notable for its heavy investment by Indianapolis — two first-round selections represent significant future draft capital. Indianapolis moved quickly to finalize number assignments after acquiring Gardner.
Colts officials communicated that Gardner will retain No. 1 with the franchise; Downs will move to No. 2. Downs shared a photo of his updated number on social media on Tuesday afternoon, noting the change visually rather than in extended commentary. The roster update was reflected in team materials and will be used for the Berlin game roster sheet.
Garden’s expected debut comes Sunday in Berlin against the Atlanta Falcons, an international-venue matchup that amplifies exposure for roster changes. The timing means Gardner could be showcased on a global stage soon after joining the Colts’ defense. Coaching staff and teammates will have limited preparation time together before the game, which raises short-term questions about alignment and play-calling integration.
Analysis & Implications
At a roster level, adding Sauce Gardner upgrades the Colts’ boundary defense immediately: Gardner is a high-profile, early-career All-Pro caliber cornerback whose presence changes how opponents plan passing schemes. Investing two future first-round picks plus A.D. Mitchell signals the Colts view Gardner as a near-term, foundational piece rather than a short-term rental. That choice prioritizes present defensive ambition over draft flexibility in upcoming years.
For Josh Downs, moving from No. 1 to No. 2 is a pragmatic adjustment that preserves team harmony and avoids a public conflict over branding. Downs’s willingness to switch — and his social-media post showing the new number — helps control the narrative and limits friction in the locker room. The change also ties into family lore: his brother Caleb wears No. 2 at Ohio State, which adds a personal dimension to the choice.
Commercially, jersey-number swaps have financial consequences. Gardner’s No. 1 jersey is likely to sell briskly after the trade and during the Berlin game, generating short-term merchandise revenue and renewed fan engagement. For the Colts, the visibility of an elite cornerback in No. 1 could translate into increased brand attention, but it does not offset the long-term cost of losing two first-round picks if future drafts are needed to replenish the roster.
Comparison & Data
| Asset | From Colts to Jets | From Jets to Colts |
|---|---|---|
| First-round picks | Next two first-round selections | — |
| Players | A.D. Mitchell (WR) | Sauce Gardner (CB) |
| Jersey changes | — | Gardner: No. 1; Downs → No. 2 |
The table above summarizes the publicly reported components of the trade. The most concrete, verifiable elements are the player names and the description that the Colts surrendered their next two first-round picks and wide receiver A.D. Mitchell. Those are the principal, measurable costs and returns in the transaction.
Reactions & Quotes
Colts announced that Gardner will wear No. 1 after the trade.
Indianapolis Colts (team announcement, reported)
Josh Downs posted a photo of his new No. 2 jersey on social media following the roster update.
Josh Downs (social media, reported)
The trade sends a clear message that Indianapolis is prioritizing immediate defensive upgrades over future draft assets.
League analysts (reported assessment)
Unconfirmed
- How quickly Gardner will be inserted into the Colts’ starting lineup versus a gradual integration remains unconfirmed and will depend on coaching decisions before Sunday’s game.
- The exact financial and merchandise revenue split tied specifically to mid-season jersey sales for No. 1 following the trade has not been publicly disclosed.
Bottom Line
The Colts’ decision to acquire Sauce Gardner and allow him to retain No. 1 underlines an aggressive approach to improving their secondary immediately, at the explicit cost of two future first-round picks and a roster player. The roster-number accommodation — Josh Downs shifting to No. 2 — is a routine but visible part of integrating a high-profile acquisition while minimizing locker-room disruption.
Expect heightened attention during Sunday’s Berlin game: it will be Gardner’s first chance to appear in Colts colors and provides an early, public test of how the trade affects Indianapolis’s defense. Longer-term consequences will hinge on how the pick capital surrendered affects the team’s ability to replenish talent in future drafts.