Jets Country

Jets Sauce Gardner Given Shockingly High Standards, Goals

One NFL writer recently suggested Sauce Gardner could compete for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Zach Pressnell|
Jun 11, 2025; Florham Park, NY, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) participates in a drill during minicamp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Jun 11, 2025; Florham Park, NY, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) participates in a drill during minicamp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

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New York Jets

The New York Jets have a lot of talent, but they only have a handful of true star players. Among these stars are wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Both young stars have shown superstar potential in their short professional careers. The Jets are going to need both of them to take massive steps forward in 2025 if head coach Aaron Glenn is going to see some early success.

Sayre Bedinger of NFL Spinzone recently suggested Gardner could compete for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award this season.

"When you look at the New York Jets for potential awards in 2025, I think there are two really obvious candidates," Bedinger wrote. "Sauce Gardner is perennially one of the most overrated players in the NFL, but he obviously has no problem drawing the attention of the media and could be a great candidate for DPOY if he can pick off five or more passes this season. The other candidate I considered here was Justin Fields for Comeback Player of the Year. It feels like Gardner is more likely to win an award this season, but that is not a bad possibility, either."

In a league dominated by edge rushers, it's rare to see a cornerback win the Defensive Player of the Year award, especially two seasons in a row.

But Gardner has the ability to shock the world and do just that.

He's a true cover corner with the ability to shadow the other team's best pass catching option. If he can shadow No. 1 wide receivers all season while also intercepting more than six passes, there's a chance he's in the running for the award. If the Jets' defense can turn around and be a top ten unit in the league, that would help his case, too.

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "New York Jets On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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