By Nick Brinkerhoff
For New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, all that was missing from his defense was a little sauce. And that’s exactly what they added, Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Sauce Gardner, whom they selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. It’s a pick that not only fills a major need for a leaky Jets defense in 2021, but also a much needed personality boost as well.
Despite being coached by Saleh, a notoriously animated coach on the sideline, the Jets defense lacked swagger on the field, mostly due to poor performance. Gardner changes all of that, even often seen sporting a massive sauce bottle chain.
Gardner’s swagger should help provide a much needed jolt to the Jets secondary. In college, Gardner did not allow a single touchdown while in coverage through his three year career and addressed that at the NFL Combine.
“I don’t have plans on giving one up in the NFL,” Gardner said.
As for a potential weakness? Gardner paused before answering.
“As a cornerback, you’ve got to have short memory,” Gardner said. “So I say that’s my only disorder that I have, short-term memory loss.”
Gardner was a part of a Cincinnati defense that ranked number one nationally in pass efficiency defense and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given for best defensive back in the country, but lost the award to his teammate, Coby Bryant.
Gardner promises to be a key ingredient for the upstart Jets, a shutdown cornerback they have lacked since the day Revis Island closed for good.