2023 Jets Country Player Profile: CB Sauce Gardner (1)

Meet every player on the New York Jets' 90-man preseason roster through our daily series

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Exactly 90 days prior to end-of-summer NFL roster cutdowns, our Jets Country player profile series kicks off with the man who wears jersey No. 1 — CB1 Sauce Gardner.

Coming off the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, the second-year pro has superstar potential. 

"The big challenge that’s been laid to him is his ability to get the ball," said Jets' defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich during OTAs on May 31. "Obviously, he led the league in passes defensed and had an amazing year, especially for a rookie. That’s the next step for him to become the great corner that we all know he can be."

Gardner recorded 20 passes defensed in 2022. He allowed only one touchdown and limited opposing passers to a 62.3 QB rating when targeted. 

Working during the voluntary offseason program, the All-Pro cornerback has shown no signs of a potential sophomore slump.

"I haven’t felt or seen or sensed that [complacent attitude] from him in the slightest. I don’t anticipate any letdown," said Ulbrich.

Cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Tariq Woolen both made immediate impacts as rookies in 2022.

The two rookies broke up passes at the highest rate of any rookie CB since Marshon Lattimore in 2017 (25.4%), leading their position in ball hawk rate last season.#TakeFlight | #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/fUuracCgpd

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) May 31, 2023

Sauce Gardner, Cornerback

Number: 1 
Current Status: Starter 
How/When Acquired: Drafted / 2022 Round 1 (No. 4 overall) 
2022 Final Stats: 17 GS, 75 TT, 20 PD, 2 INT
Accolades: NFL DROTY (2022), All-Pro (2022)

Latest Player News

Sauce Gardner Hot Topic Around NFL Heading into Second Season 
Jordan Schultz quoted an AFC North scout that compared Gardner to a combination of Deion Sanders, Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman.

Sports Illustrated's Special Sauce Issue Features Jets' Cornerback on Cover 
The second-year pro was the subject of an SI cover story by Conor Orr, joining the likes of Jets legends Joe Namath and Darrelle Revis.

Sauce Gardner Ready for Aaron Rodgers to Take the Reins 
The Jets' CB1 spoke about Gang Green’s new starting signal caller during a draft-week appearance on NFL Network

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Pinned Tweet

More motivated than eva❕ pic.twitter.com/oYhmt8jnho

— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) May 25, 2023

More Player Headlines

Jessica Alba Made Major Impression on Sauce Gardner at Knicks Playoff Game 

2022 Draft Review: Gardner Talked the Talk, Walked the Walk 

Sauce Adds Extreme Heat to His Rodgers Recruitment Campaign 

Sauce Spearheads Twitter Campaign Wooing Rodgers 

Sauce Sighting at the NFL Combine 

Jets Feel Confident About Making Playoffs Next Season 

Jets CB Sauce Gardner Pledges to Return to School, Earn Degree 

Justin Jefferson vs. Sauce Gardner is as good as it gets