Jets Could Land Sauce Gardner's Replacement Sooner Rather Than Later

The Jets need to find a new cornerback to take Sauce Gardner's place on the roster...

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) attempts to walk off the field on his own following an injury Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets opted to take a very aggressive approach at the NFL trade deadline this season.

Rather than trading away a few expiring contracts to lean into a rebuild, the Jets opted to trade away Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner in a pair of monster trades.

In these two trades, the Jets were able to land three first round picks over the next two years. They were also able to land additional players and draft capital in the process. But they need to quickly work on replacing Williams and Gardner on their roster.

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Eddie Brown of The San Diego Union-Tribune recently put together a mock draft for the 2026 NFL Draft. After predicting the Jets would select Jeremiyah Love with their top selection, Brown predicted the Jets would use the Colts' first round pick, acquired in the Gardner trade, to select Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell.

Jets could land Avieon Terrell in 2026 NFL Draft

Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell (8) reacts to a pass interference call Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during the NCAA football game against the Duke Blue Devils at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I’m anticipating the Jets replenishing the defense with at least one of their two first-rounders, after trading their two best defenders away at the deadline," Brown wrote. "Terrell could follow in his brother A.J.’s footsteps as a first-round cornerback from the Tigers.

"He’s a much better run defender than his brother, despite being a bit undersized (5-11, 180). His route-recognition and ball skills helped him earn second-team All-ACC honors as a sophomore, and he’s mastered the 'Peanut Punch' with six forced fumbles the last two seasons."

The Jets won't be able to easily replace Gardner. He's one of the best cornerbacks in the league right now, which is why the Jets were able to land so much draft capital in the trade with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Jets likely won't use their top selection on a quarterback, but the second selection could work. Adding Terrell would be a huge move, as he's a solid cover corner with excellent big play ability. He's forced a lot of fumbles over the last two years and has shown improved ability to tackle in space.

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