Asked what he thinks Sauce Gardner can become in the NFL, Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich didn’t even want to answer the question out of fear that it would get back to the rookie cornerback.
Between Gardner’s renowned quickness, top-notch ball skills and the swagger with which he struts (and talks) around the field, Ulbrich probably doesn’t want it to go to the 21-year-old’s head before he even makes his NFL debut. It’s safe to say, however, the Jets think very highly of their fourth-overall pick from this year’s draft.
“He has a unique confidence, especially for a rookie,” Ulbrich said after practice on Tuesday. “It just speaks to who he is as a man. Fake confidence, fake swagger and phony talk are all commonplace. With him, it’s completely authentic. In reality, it’s earned from the way he prepares and the way he works and the way he knows what he’s doing. He’s very aware of his ability and what he’s capable of becoming.
“It’s really cool when you have guys that have that sort of confidence and swag, it just elevates the group. He’ll continue to have that effect on the group.”
Ulbrich said Gardner is a player who is always gathering information and sprinting back into the locker room in order to write it down. Robert Saleh, head coach, also said that Gardner is a talker on the field who backs it with his play.
When was the last time he had a rookie verbal like Gardner? Saleh answered without hesitation: Jalen Ramsey, five-time Pro Bowler.
“We had that two-minute drive and the offense went and scored and got the two-point conversion, then he runs and wants another set,” Saleh said of Gardner, who was the AAC Defensive Player of the Year with Cincinnati in 2021. “He’s like, ‘Bring it back. We want one more set on defense,’ but they hit their play quota, so we had to shut it down. You love the competition. You appreciate the attention to detail. You love the way he strains when he plays football. It is definitely not too big for him.”
To reduce their roster to 85, the Jets eliminated DB Luq Barrcoo, OL Derrick Kelly and DL Tim Ward. Officially, the Jets placed OT Mekhi Bécton on injured reserve.
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