Jets' Sauce Gardner is on a Hall of Fame pace and he's just getting started
The first and last cornerback to earn two First Team All-Pro honors in his first two years was Dick Harris. That was just over 60 years ago.Six decades later, New York Jets corner Sauce Gardner adds his name to the list. The AP revealed Gardner made his second First Team All-Pro listing in as many […]
The first and last cornerback to earn two First Team All-Pro honors in his first two years was Dick Harris. That was just over 60 years ago.
Six decades later, New York Jets corner Sauce Gardner adds his name to the list. The AP revealed Gardner made his second First Team All-Pro listing in as many years since he was drafted.
Gardner put together another lockdown season as the Jets' No. 1 cornerback, allowing a passer rating of 76.5, 8.7 yards per reception, and one touchdown in coverage. He posted 11 passes defensed as well.
Don't let the lack of interceptions fool you, Gardner was one of the best coverage cornerbacks in the game this season. Only Jaylon Johnson of the Chicago Bears graded higher in Pro Football Focus' coverage grade for starting corners.
Gardner's mark of 90.8 eclipses his 2022 figure of 90.0. No other cornerback graded at least 90 or above in each season.
PFF grades are great and all, but Hall of Fame careers are built on greater accolades. Not only is Gardner the first cornerback since the NFL-AFL merger to make back-to-back All-Pro teams to begin his career, the only other corners to make two in their first three years since then are the following:
Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman.
Both are going to end up in Canton one day soon.
Gardner, still just 23 years old, is at best hasn't even entered his prime and at worst just beginning it. The Jets can't even pay him the contract he deserves until another 12 months after his third season concludes.
He's got a ways to go before his golden jacket is fitted for him, but make no mistake, Sauce is on his way in joining former Jet Darrelle Revis in football heaven when it's all said and done.
Latest NFL news puts millions of dollars into Sauce Gardner’s pocket
Everyone knew how good Sauce Gardner, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, was coming into 2023. But, there's always that chance of a drop-off after hitting the ground running the way he did. Well, there hasn't been any inkling of a sophomore slump. Gardner has played just as well, if not better, than he […]
