Sauce Gardner just stirred the pot around a Colts–Vikings possibility

Maybe Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner should be an NFL general manager, as he clearly understands what a team needs to succeed. He proved that with a threat about Alec Pierce's free agency, and he is doing the same thing about Indy potentially trading for Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.

Prior to Indianapolis re-signing Pierce, Gardner tweeted a suggestion that he lock the wide receiver in his basement until Pierce signs a new contract with the Colts. The Vikings are reportedly open to moving Greenard, and Gardner has laughably offered to lock, well...someone in his basement for Greenard to be a Colt.

He did so on X/Twitter with a GIF of a cartoon Batman stroking his chin as the cornerback captioned the image with, "love a good pass rush...is it time to open my basement back up." The tweet is a reaction to someone saying, "Whoever trades for Greenard is getting a STUD."

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner offers to lock Jonathan Greenard (?) in his basement

Gardner is correct, of course. Adding Greenard would greatly improve the pass rush for the Colts, and that is needed as the team can likely only rely on Laiatu Latu to be productive in 2026. Having Greenard on the opposite side of Latu would be a massive upgrade to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's squad.

What it would take to acquire the edge rusher from the Vikings is unknown. Indy doesn't have a first-round draft pick in 2026 or 2027 as general manager Chris Ballard coincidentally traded those to the New York Jets to get Gardner midway through this past season. Indy could offer a second- or third-round choice, but that would gut the early part of this year's draft for Indianapolis.

The Vikings edge rusher has a big cap hit in each of the next two seasons at a bit more than $22 million. The way Pierce's new contract is structured, the Colts can afford Greenard next season. Pierce's cap hit is only slightly more than $9 million, even though his new contract averages paying him $29 million a year.

The Indianapolis Colts haven't necessarily improved the roster from 2025, either. The team is hoping the offense can get back to being as good as it was in the first half of last season, as long as quarterback Daniel Jones can be ready to play by Week 1 after tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 14.

The defense has lost safety Nick Cross, edge rusher Kwity Paye, and linebacker Zaire Franklin. None of those players were truly transformative, however, but Jonathan Greenard might be. He has 12 sacks in both 2023 and 2024. He could be exactly what the Colts need, though Sauce Gardner might need to lock all parties involved in his basement to get a deal done.