Jets' CB Sauce Gardner Will Miss Week 6 Game Despite Feeling 'Perfectly Fine'
The New York Jets' secondary absorbed another hit on Saturday afternoon as All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner was downgraded to out for Sunday's home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Gardner originally popped up on the official injury report on Friday, missing practice for what the Jets listed as "illness." Initially tagged as questionable for the game, the CB1 will not be available when Gang Green hosts the undefeated Eagles at MetLife Stadium due to a concussion.
Gardner had made 22 straight starts since being drafted by the Green & White at No. 4 overall in 2022. After news of his downgraded status broke, the second-year cornerback posted a message to the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
"I feel perfectly fine. That's the crazy part about it," said Gardner in an X post that was timestamped at 5:05 pm ET on October 14.
D.J. Reed, the starting cornerback opposite Gardner, is also unavailable for the Week 6 affair. Still in concussion protocol, Reed will miss his second straight game.
Unfortunately for the Jets, the list doesn't end there. Both dealing with hamstring injuries, backup cornerbacks Brandin Echols and Justin Hardee were ruled out on Friday. The Jets have subsequently placed Hardee, a special teams captain, on Injured Reserve. Echols tweaked his hamstring in the Week 4 game against Kansas City and hasn't played since.
With four cornerbacks out of commission in Week 6, the Jets made two Practice Squad elevations for Sunday. Craig James and Tae Hayes will suit up against the Eagles. James, who spent the entire preseason with Gang Green, made his first-ever regular season appearance for the Jets last week as a PS call-up in Denver.
The Eagles will almost certainly try to exploit the Jets' depleted secondary with the potent receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Bryce Hall will likely start again for Gang Green and James may have to play significant snaps.
Philadelphia will be without one of its starting corners as Darius Slay won't play. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter and safety Justin Evans are also on the shelf.
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