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Last season the New York Jets ranked No. 1 in pass yards allowed per game. Perhaps defensive back Sauce Gardner deserves some credit for his dominance.
Sauce Gardner wins this rep vs Garrett Wilson with a PBU
The BEST Training Camp battle is always between these 2 Young
’s
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— 𝙅𝙀𝙏𝙎 𝙈𝙀𝘿𝙄𝘼
(@NYJets_Media) July 26, 2024
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Sure, Gardner didn’t produce an interception in 2023, but that’s because his 12 pass deflections were enough to convince opposing quarterbacks not to throw his way.
To make things more exclamatory, two of the NFL’s top 5 leaders in pass yards last season play for teams in the same AFC East division as Gardner.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen combined for 8,900 plus pass yards last season yet neither of them had a game where they threw for 300 yards versus the Jets.
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Gardner is a humble assassin, standing six-foot three-inches with a wingspan of 79 inches. With a 40-yard dash time of 4.41 seconds, his combination of size and speed makes it nearly impossible to sneak passes underneath against him.
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Gardner is physical at the line of scrimmage, inhibiting opposing wide receivers from getting a clean release. His ability to jam wide receivers is crucial, especially when trying to contain speedsters like wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers.
There isn’t a quarterback in the NFL who finds comfort throwing the football in Gardner’s proximity. The Jets’ defense relies heavily on Gardner’s ability to play man coverage.