FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets’ expectations for Sauce Gardner are harking back to the Permian Excessive mantra from the outdated “Friday Night time Lights” film:
Be good.
When new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks met Gardner for the primary time originally of the offseason, he challenged the star cornerback to lift his recreation to a brand new stage. Maybe he seen some slippage final season after a historic begin to his profession. Or possibly he was simply pushing buttons, which coaches do even with their finest gamers.
Regardless of the motive, his message linked.
“I do know I am not good, however the truth that he is making an attempt to get perfection out of me is what I would like as a result of, you recognize, I’ve had a number of success, early success within the league,” Gardner mentioned. “And the very last thing I would like is a brand new regime to come back in right here and simply permit me to be complacent.
“I am not saying that is who I’m, however it’s nice to only have these sort of men which might be going to demand rather a lot out of me and simply push me in ways in which I’ve by no means been pushed earlier than.”
Gardner started his profession with the pace of a System 1 automotive, exploding into stardom.
DRAFTED FOURTH OVERALL in 2022, he was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the 12 months and first-team All-Professional. In 2023, he turned the primary cornerback because the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to be named first-team All-Professional in every of his first two seasons. Solely two different defensive gamers have completed that: New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor and Dallas Cowboys cross rusher Micah Parsons.
With an enormous recreation and an elite nickname, Gardner landed an enormous endorsement take care of a restaurant chain that focuses on Buffalo wings and all kinds of sauces. Naturally, Sauce had his personal customized sauce. He turned one of many Jets’ hottest non-quarterbacks in current reminiscence, all by the age of 23.
Then got here final season — an terrible 12 months for the Jets (5-12) and an off 12 months for Gardner, who completed forty seventh out of 52 corners in EPA (Anticipated Factors Added)/per goal as the closest defender (minimal: 400 protection snaps), based on Subsequent Gen Stats.
It was an enormous drop from his first two seasons — second out of 49 corners in 2022, thirteenth out of 47 in 2023. He additionally had extra accepted penalties final season (9) than he did in his first two seasons mixed (seven).
Gardner disagrees with the notion that 2024 was subpar, calling it a “fairly clean” season for him. He mentioned, “It is by no means as dangerous as folks attempt to paint it to be,” noting that social media tends to concentrate on the unfavorable.
In a approach, he is proper. He was so good as a rookie that he drew comparisons to Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer and former Jets star Darrelle Revis, elevating expectations to an obscenely excessive stage. Now when there is a hiccup — a penalty or a cross accomplished towards him — the response amongst followers is, “What’s unsuitable with Sauce?”
Life in Gotham will be troublesome for star athletes. Nonetheless, the Jets wish to preserve him round for a very long time. They’re within the means of negotiating a contract extension for Gardner, who may change into the league’s highest-paid participant at his place.
“His customary is so excessive as a result of he is such a only a totally different participant than all people else on the sphere,” nickel again Michael Carter II mentioned.
Wilks referred to as Gardner among the finest at his place, however he needs extra consistency. He needs him to be “dominant” on a week-to-week foundation, maximizing his size (6-foot-3), lengthy arms (33½ inches) and pace (4.41 seconds within the 40-yard sprint).
“He is very gifted, and I instructed him, ‘Typically your best power is your best weak point,'” Wilks mentioned. “He is a man that typically at 85%, he is nonetheless higher than all people round him. So his factor is — and I instructed him, ‘compete towards your self.’ That is the place he has to get higher, which he’ll.”
GARDNER DOESN’T HAVE far to go if he needs recommendation on easy methods to play the place. The Jets’ new coach, Aaron Glenn, performed nook for 15 years, making three Professional Bowls. Assistant defensive backs coach Dre’ Bly made two Professional Bowls in 11 years, ending with a powerful 43 interceptions.
One in every of Gardner’s objectives is to intercept extra passes; he has solely three in 48 video games. Regardless of an uptick in man-to-man protection final season, the Jets had been predominantly a zone-based protection beneath the earlier teaching employees. In zone protection, a defensive again has eyes on the quarterback, which ought to create extra alternatives to make performs on the ball.
They’re anticipated to be a man-heavy crew this season, contemplating Glenn’s popularity as a pressure-minded coach. It is more durable to make interceptions when your again is turned to the quarterback, however Gardner, along with his uncommon measurement for a nook, could possibly be a disruptive pressure on the line of scrimmage in press protection.
“I all the time thank them each single day as a result of they put me able to make performs,” mentioned Gardner, who appears pleased with the scheme change.
One other objective, he mentioned, is to change into extra of a crew chief in 12 months 4. He is had lengthy conversations with Glenn about management. Glenn needs management to be genuine. He does not need gamers to be vocal if that is not their character; it comes throughout as phony.
“This is what I’ve talked to him about, about who he must be,” Glenn mentioned. “If you do lead, simply let your affect do all of the speaking. How do you use within the huddle and with the gamers within the locker room? That speaks greater than the rah-rah man. He understands that as a result of affect, to me, is admittedly what management is about.”
Gardner has mentioned that he needs to be generally known as the perfect cornerback ever earlier than he finishes his profession. That might be an ideal ending.