Sauce Gardner set the bar higher than any cornerback to come before him.
As the first cornerback in NFL history to earn first-team All-Pro honors in each of his first two seasons, Gardner faced unparalleled expectations entering the 2025 season. So, when Gardner took a slight step back for the first time in his career, some fans and media members were outraged.
By most metrics, the New York Jets’ star cover man remained a solid starter in 2024. However, he was also not close to the impeccable levels of play that he showed in 2022 and 2023. This caused people to overreact and label him a “bad” player when that could not be further from the truth.
Still, as Gardner continues to negotiate for the largest cornerback contract in NFL history, the expectation is that he returns to stardom in 2025. When and if Gardner lands a deal for over $30 million per year, “solid” will not be good enough for the Jets to get their money’s worth.
The Jets need Gardner to reclaim his dominant standards. On top of that, he may have another level to tap into, as he can still improve in the takeaway department.
It begs the question: What caused him to dip last year, and are those problems easily fixable? Could it have been a sign of incoming decline, or should fans expect Gardner to bounce back?
Only the film can answer those questions.
Below is Blewett’s Blitz’s full Sauce Gardner film review, analyzing 52 plays across every game from Gardner’s 2024 season.
🚨 To view this member-only premium content, you must be a Jet X Member and logged in to your Jet X Account.
✅ Get Started to check out the membership options and become a member (note: bookmark this article/page so you can return to it more easily):
📲 Log In if you are already a member (note: you should be redirected back to this article/page after logging in):
📲 Connect if you would like to create a free account before taking the official Jet X Membership plunge:
❗️ Becoming a Jet X Member unlocks every piece of subscriber content on the site, provides an ad-free website and mobile app experience, and grants access to the Offseason Simulator. Utilizing one of our Discount Codes (promoted in various New York Jets-centric places) provide significant value. Feel free to try out our 30-day free trial option at any point:
