Sauce Gardner‘s first two seasons in the NFL have been exceptional.
He has arguably had one of the best starts to a career by any cornerback in NFL history. But Gardner is ready to take his game to the next level.
Jets coach Robert Saleh has expressed openness to the idea of expanding when Gardner tracks an opposing team’s No. 1 receiver next season, but he said the team would be “judicious” when doing so.
“I’m always looking forward to the challenge,” Gardner said. “I would like to call myself one of the best in the game, if not the best.
“I’m always ready to compete and challenge myself, challenge other people. I just want to do whatever it takes to help the team win. That’s what it is all about.”
Since he was selected fourth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Gardner has been one of the faces of the franchise.
During his rookie season, Gardner finished with two interceptions and a league-high 20 pass break ups. In 2023, Gardner didn’t register an interception but had 11 pass break ups with teams avoiding throwing to his side of the field. He is already a two-time first-team All-Pro and has been selected to two Pro Bowls.
Gang Green usually has Gardner play one side of the field while veteran cornerback D.J. Reed plays the other. However, there were certain instances when Gardner traveled with a particular receiver.
Last year, against the Chiefs, Gardner occasionally followed tight end Travis Kelce, a nine-time Pro Bowler. Kelce registered six catches for 60 yards in the 23-20 win against the Jets.
“He’s a weapon we can use from the defensive standpoint, but to say it’ll be exclusive, I’m not going to say that,” Saleh said about Gardner. “But he did last year, to say he might do a little bit more that’s a possibility, but I think it’s going to be more game to game.”
The Jets’ defense has been among the best in the league since Gardner arrived. In 2022, Gang Green finished fourth in yards and points allowed. Last season, the Jets allowed the third-fewest yards (292.3) and was 12th in points allowed (20.9).
“When you have a guy like him, you just got to try to find ways to be creative with him, but you have to evolve in the league,” Saleh said. “Obviously, every year, you’re going to try new things. Some things stick, some things don’t, but this is the time of year to try all that stuff.”
Gardner even likes to engage with social media hate directed his way from fans from other teams in the AFC East.
“I be laughing at a lot of it,” Gardner said. “I’m one of those people who laugh at stuff, so I would respond to it. I don’t respond to it in a disrespectful manner.
“I have been called a P.I. [pass interference] merchant and posted on Twitter laughing at it. Because at the end of the day, if it was easy, everybody would be doing it. Everybody would be out here and I understand a lot of people just do it just to do it.
“It is some people that do it just to get attention. Sometimes, I make people’s days just by responding to them.”
Gardner isn’t just evolving on the field, he is becoming one of the Jets’ veteran leaders. During Tuesday’s OTA practice, Gardner spoke to rookie cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers about Cover 3 defense and how he has to read multiple receivers.
After trading veteran leader John Franklin-Myers to the Broncos, Gardner could be asked to take a more vocal defensive role this season.
“I realize I’m getting a little bit older, but I’m not old at all,” Gardner joked. “I’m on Year 3, so now every time that I’m not in, I’m just watching. I can see they’re looking at me a little bit, so that’s just a great feeling.
“I can just be like, ‘I see you did this, you can probably do it like this and come out your breaks a little faster.’ Just little things like that.”
Jan. 13, 2024: Special Sauce
New York Daily News
Back page for Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024: Special Sauce- Jets’ Gardner is first cornerback to be voted first-team All-Pro in his first two NFL seasons. Sauce Gardner was one of the few bright spots for the Jets this season, and the corner gets rewarded with his second straight first-team All-Pro honor, joining LB Quincy Williams, who makes team for first time.
Much like last offseason, many pundits expect the Jets to be playoff contenders with Aaron Rodgers back from the Achilles tear he suffered in the season opener. Without Rodgers, the Jets finished 7-10 and third in the AFC East last season.
Gardner agrees thanks to the offensive upgrades the team made in the offseason combined with an already elite defense.
“I feel like we can win a championship, a Super Bowl,” Gardner said. “We got the guys, we got the coaches, we got everything we need, the training staff, everything that it takes to be able to get to where we want to get to.
“But as I always say, we can’t get too high or too low. Keep the main thing the main thing. But that’s that’s just a fact. Just always staying in a moment, not looking too far ahead, you know, because we know we got but and snap of a finger, it can all be gone.”