Commanders' Ron Rivera: Jets CB Sauce Gardner 'Can Be Really, Really Special'

Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera is very impressed with New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Without four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets offense has been one of the most inept units in the sport, averaging just 14.4 points per game, the third-worst mark in the sport. 

What's made the Jets such a frustrating team, though, is coach Robert Saleh's defense is giving up just 20.5 points per game. That defense has allowed the Jets to win five games, and it's not hard to imagine New York being a playoff team with a competent offense. 

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Jets general manager Joe Douglas has made some excellent draft picks on the defensive side of the ball, perhaps none better than landing cornerback Sauce Gardner with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Ahead of New York's matchup with the Commanders in Week 16, Washington coach Ron Rivera explained what's allowed Gardner to be so successful early in his career. 

“He can run and he is long and when you get a DB that can run and but has that kind of length, he can be really, really special," Rivera said. "And he has that knack, he has that ability. He plays certain situations and like when there's a certain time during the route, it almost turns into like he's going up for a rebound. He knows how to body a guy up. He knows how to keep it tight and he knows how to go after the body. He's got great body control when he's in the air too.”

Gardner was not only the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, but he was a First-Team All-Pro at cornerback, a rare feat for a first-year player at any position. He's followed that up by posting an 83.2 PFF grade in his second NFL season, while racking up 50 combined tackles, two tackles for a loss and a forced fumble. 

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It can often be difficult for great cornerbacks to stand out statistically because they don't get many opportunities to record interceptions, given that opposing quarterbacks will often avoid them. To that end, Gardner doesn't have an interception in his second season yet, after having two in his rookie season. But Commanders quarterback Sam Howell is tied for the league lead with 15 interceptions this season, so perhaps Gardner will get an opportunity to erase the goose egg in that column of his football card this week.