After being the unanimous top defensive back in the league over his first two seasons, New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner has seen his reputation trip slip going into 2025, even after a lucrative four-year extension signed this week.

NFL Is Skeptical of Sauce Gardner

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler concluded his series of the top 10 players at each position going into 2025 with the help of anonymous executives, coaches, and scouts.

At cornerback, Gardner fell all the way to fifth following his down 2024 season. His performance has left some questioning if he can get back to the elite play he was known for throughout the first two years of his journey.

“I like his game, really good feet, long, good at the catch point — but he was getting put in conversations that I didn’t think were legitimate or fair,” a veteran NFL defensive coach told Fowler. “When I watch the film, I see a top-10 cornerback. I don’t see the top three.”

While Jets fans can argue all they want about whether Gardner was worthy of being ranked higher on the list or not, the breakdown is more than fair.

Gardner’s job is to return to the level of play he showed over his first two seasons.

While his interception numbers have never been solid, Gardner was one of the best lockdown corners in the game right from the start. He was the first player in league history to be named a first-team All-Pro as a defensive back in his first two seasons.

That doesn’t happen by accident. Gardner, at his best, is an incredible player.

Things changed in 2024, though. While Gardner only allowed one touchdown into his coverage, he committed 10 penalties, which is equal to his total over his first two seasons combined. In addition to a career-low nine passes defended, Gardner also allowed a career-high 391 yards, per Pro Football Focus.

For any other player, those numbers would represent a breakout year. For Gardner, though, it was a noticeable regression.

That doesn’t make this the end of the world, though. Gardner is still considered one of the best cornerbacks in the game despite his down year.

In a new defensive scheme under Aaron Glenn and Steve Wilks, Gardner may be in the perfect place to bounce back from his 2024 campaign.

Until then, though, his ranking outside the position’s top four is more than fair.

Remember, he’s only 24 years old.