The Indianapolis Colts wrapped up minicamp this week, which means the next step for the team is training camp. The next step for star cornerback Sauce Gardner, though, is the hope of making the playoffs. As great as he has been personally, his teams haven't been good enough to reach the postseason.
Speaking with the media after the final minicamp session, Gardner said his goal is "to get to the playoffs. That's one thing I haven't done. And a chip." The "chip," of course, means winning the Super Bowl.
A healthier Gardner would help Indy reach that final part. As good as some of the starters are, Indianapolis was exposed last season after so many starters got injured. The quality of the depth was greatly lacking. 2026 might not be much better.
Indianapolis Colts' Sauce Gardner wants one new thing to happen in the coming season
The blame for that would fall on general manager Chris Ballard, of course. He seems to have taken a solid draft class, and the team re-signed quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, but the free agents signed this offseason are an iffy group.
That means the starters need to stay healthy, and Gardner couldn't do that due to dealing with a calf issue after he came to the Colts after playing for the New York Jets. The cornerback missed four games in the second half of the season.
Not that the fault completely lies with Gardner's availability, but the span of time that the cornerback was missing was the same time when the team was suffering a meltdown. A 7-1 start turned into an 8-9 finish. Would Gardner staying healthier have meant the team would have made the playoffs? No. Too many players were missing, other than just Gardner.
It might also be telling about Sauce Gardner and the position he plays that, as great as he has been in his career so far, which includes being named First-Team All-Pro twice, his teams haven't made the playoffs. Football is a team sport, of course. No matter how well Gardner plays his spot, he needs help.
That said, one glaring issue for the Indianapolis Colts in recent seasons is that the defense has underwhelmed. The addition last year of Gardner should help remedy that, as long as defensive lineman DeForest Buckner and cornerback Charvarius Ward can stay available for games.
The Colts could be a dangerous team in the coming season with better injury luck. Sauce Gardner, for one, is tired of not making the playoffs, just as Indy fans are tired of watching other teams in the postseason. For all involved, let's hope that changes in 2026.
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