The New York Jets have been the biggest disappointment of the 2024 season, and things could get worse with a Sauce Gardner trade. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati product immediately established himself as one of the game’s best cornerbacks, earning First-Team All-Pro honors in 2022 and 2023. Despite his strong play, the team never made it to the playoffs, in large part because of the quarterback play.
Things were supposed to be different in 2024. With Aaron Rodgers recovered from his season-ending Achilles injury, the Jets were supposed to be a playoff threat and serious Super Bowl contenders. Instead, the team owns an embarrassing 4-12 record, and the cornerback seems to be done with his current franchise.
Recently, Sauce Gardner commented “PAY THE MAN” on an Instagram post regarding impending free agent Tee Higgins. A commenter suggested Gardner should try and bring Higgins to the Jets, and the cornerback said in no uncertain terms that he will NOT do that.
lol pic.twitter.com/pshCRVtlTd
— Bengals Graphics (@BengalsGraphic5) December 29, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
If Sauce Gardner is actively telling players not to sign with the Jets, then it’s safe to assume he’s not happy with the organization and would welcome a trade during the offseason. With New York staring down another rebuild, could the team send away one of their best young players? If history is any indication, the answer is “yes.”
In recent years, the Jets traded Jamal Adams, Sam Darnold, and Leonard Williams early in their respective careers, and Gardner could be the next player to go. Every team would love to have a young shutdown cornerback, but these four make the most sense as offseason destinations.
Possible Destinations
Carolina Panthers
After an underwhelming start to the season, the Carolina Panthers finally have hope on the offensive side of the ball. While the jury is still out on whether Bryce Young is a legitimate franchise quarterback, he’s done enough to earn a second year at the helm. With the offense taken care of, Carolina must address a defense that ranks at or near the bottom of just about every major statistic. Jaycee Horn is a solid starter, but acquiring Sauce Gardner via trade would give the Panthers the true lockdown player they need.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams must make the most of Matthew Stafford’s career. Now much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, Sean McVay’s squad could use more defensive reinforcements to compensate for Stafford’s relative dip in play. The defensive line should be fine with Kobie Turner and first-round pick Jared Verse, but the secondary needs some work. The Rams have never shied away from trading draft picks for proven playmakers, so don’t be surprised if they make an aggressive trade for Sauce Gardner.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs have a great cornerback in Trent McDuffie but not much else. Fourth-round pick Jaylen Watson played well early in the season, but he was never more than an adequate starter. Seeing as Steven Nelson is not a long-term fix at the position, Kansas City could solidify their secondary in 2025 and beyond by executing a Sauce Gardner trade. Seeing as he has two more years of team control, the Chiefs should be able to retain him without dramatically impacting their ability to sign their homegrown stars.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens secondary has lost a step in 2024. While Marlon Humphrey remains reliable and first-round pick Nate Wiggins is showing signs of life, this team could use another presence in the defensive backfield. Humphrey isn’t getting any younger, and adding an elite playmaker like Sauce Gardner could be crucial for a team that shares a division with Ja’Marr Chase.
Main Photo: Corey Perrine – USA Today Sports
The post Another Jets Star Wants Out of New York, Could Request Trade appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.