What Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson Injuries Mean For Jets

The New York Jets are preparing to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8 and will do so without the services of two superstars.

On Friday, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced that both Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson will miss the contest against the Bengals among a handful of players. Gardner is dealing with the fallout of a concussion and Wilson is still dealing with a knee injury that caused him to miss Week 7 as well.

"For the guys that are out, we have (Kene Nwangwu), we have Sauce, we have Jay Tufele, we have Cam Jones, Stone Smartt, and Garrett Wilson will be out," Glenn said while speaking to the media on Friday.

Jets will surely miss Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson vs. the Bengals

Oct 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) reacts after making a tackle against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

How the losses of Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner impact Week 8 for New York:

Garrett Wilson
Wilson last played Week 6 against the Denver Broncos in London. Wilson is the team's most impactful receiver leading the team in targets (56), receptions (36), receiving yards (395), and receiving touchdowns with four. All of this is to say that the Jets' passing offense isn't going to be at full strength. Last week without Wilson, the passing offense struggled. Tyrod Taylor had 126 passing yards and Justin Fields had 46 passing yards. Josh Reynolds was targeted the most in the passing game with nine targets, but had just three catches for 29 yards. Tyler Johnson was the leading receiver with three catches for 60 yards, including a 35-yard play.

With Wilson out, expect the passing offense to be spread around, no matter who is under center. Mason Taylor had five targets last week and converted three catches for 31 yards. If he's healthy enough to play on Sunday, expect a heavy dose of him. No one had more than three catches last week. Johnson, Taylor, and Reynolds had three catches apiece. Isaiah Davis, Allen Lazard, and Breece Hall all had two catches. Expect more of the same. No clear-cut, No. 1 option and the ball being spread around.

Sauce Gardner
This will be the first game Gardner misses this season so it's not as clear-cut as the receiver room. New York is facing a prolific receiving group led by Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Brandon Stephens seemingly is the No. 1 corner with Gardner out. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. started 14 games last year with the Tennessee Titans and has played in three games so far for the Jets this season. He's someone to watch now with Gardner out. The same goes for third-round rookie Azareye'h Thomas. He's played in all seven games so far for New York. There's no one-size-fits-all fill-in for a talent like Gardner, but it will take a village.

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