Tag: Sauce Gardner

Browns WR Amari Cooper cracks All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner’s top five WRs

New York Jets All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner ranks Amari Cooper in his top five wide receivers in the NFL.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper received high praise from superstar cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. The New York Jet was asked to name his top five wide receivers and named Cooper along with Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson, Devante Adams, and CeeDee Lamb. 

Gardner is very familiar with Cleveland as the Browns have played the Jets in Gardner’s first two seasons. Cooper missed the last game against the Jets with an injury. But in the first matchup, Cooper had one touchdown and 101 yards on nine receptions. 

Cooper is the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL. The former first-round pick has never been selected to an All-Pro team in his nine-year career. He’s only made five Pro Bowls including this past season. 

Cooper was the first receiver in Browns history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Cooper’s unique blend of size, speed, and strength makes him a near-impossible assignment to cover. Cooper’s deliberate, craftsman-like approach to route running has transformed him into a guru. 

Cooper is seen as a mentor to a host of younger receivers. New Browns’ wide receiver Jerry Jeudy mentioned how he looked forward to learning more from Cooper now that they’re teammates. It’s rewarding to watch the new crop of NFL All-Pros respect Cooper for the legend he is. 

Sauce Gardner responds to Mecole Hardman: ‘The standard is the standard’

Sauce Gardner responds to Mecole Hardman: ‘The standard is the standard’

It might be safe to say Sauce Gardner and Mecole Hardman won’t be exchanging Christmas cards anytime soon.

A few weeks ago, Gardner and tight end Kenny Yeboah suggested that the former disgruntled Jets wide receiver leaked gameplans for their games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, ironically two of the better games for the Jets in 2023, including a win over the Eagles in Week 6.

Gardner sat down with Ryan Clark on The Pivot Podcast and the two discussed Hardman’s comments.

“When I met Mecole … the first thing I thought is he talks a lot.”

“He never earned his stripes,” Gardner said, via Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. “He came into the facility and just thought he had it made. If you know what it takes to win, you’re not going to go to practice and drop punts and then have excuses as to why you dropped them. You’re not going to go in a special teams meeting and get cussed out by a special teams coordinator. Certain things are not going to happen if you know what it takes to win.”

Gardner said he was ultimately happy Hardman was able to go back home to Kansas City and find success, which included winning another Super Bowl and being the one to catch the winning touchdown in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers. But in the end, when it comes to the Jets’ organization, “the standard is the standard” as Gardner put it.

Jets CB Sauce Gardner gives pitch to Buccaneers’ Mike Evans

Gardner took to social media to try and recruit Evans ahead of free agency, and one Bucs offensive player wasn’t all too thrilled about it.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans is set to be a highly-sought name in free agency for 2024, and some NFL players are already doing their best to make their pitch to him.

One of those players in New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, who has been taking to social media as his general manager alter-ego he calls “LeSauce.” His recent target was Evans, tweeting that Evans purportedly knew “what we talked about” on social media. The Jets are one of many teams that could be interested in Evans, with teams like the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers also often mentioned.

Some aren’t particularly pleased with Gardner’s recruiting efforts, though. Gardner tweeted earlier a list of wideouts and asked Jets fans which ones he should try to get to New York, and Bucs running back Rachaad White didn’t take kindly to Evans being mentioned among them:

Evans had previously made a public statement about his contract through his agent at the beginning of the year, setting an extension deadline the team did not meet. Spotrac has Evans projected at $23.8 million dollars per year in market value — as it stands, the Jets are 20th in cap space at $7,562,303, so they’d need to do some maneuvering to try and land someone like Evans. Free agency officially opens on March 11, so we’ll know soon just how much of Gardner’s pitch is just talk or if it actually has some legs.

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Stefon Diggs’ nephew roasts Sauce Gardner on his behalf (video)

Had uncle Stef’s back:

Stefon Diggs’ nephew got after Sauce Gardner for him.

Over the weekend at the 2024 Pro Bowl, Diggs’ nephew, Aaiden Diggs, was present with his father Trevon Diggs. The latter is Stefon Diggs’ brother who also plays for the Cowboys.

While taking in the Pro Bowl with family, the young Diggs met Gardner. The moment was caught on camera and it was hilarious.

Going to bat for his uncle, Aaiden Diggs called out Gardner right to his face. He pointed out that the Jets cornerback had something to say about the Bills receiver during the 2023 season, downplaying Diggs’ skills.

Gardner was pretty stunned that the little guy said what he said but laughed in the end.

Check out the funny exchange below:

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Photos of Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson in Pro Bowl Dodgeball

Photos of Sauce Gardner and Jermaine Johnson in Pro Bowl Dodgeball

The Pro Bowl Games kicked off Thursday in Orlando, Florida and the Jets had some representation as cornerback Sauce Gardner and edge Jermaine Johnson helped the AFC score a win in dodgeball, giving the AFC three of the six points they scored Thursday. The NFC enters Sunday’s competition with a 12-6 lead.

Here are a few photos of Gardner and Johnson doing their thing and helping the AFC get on the board in Orlando.

Sauce Gardner wants the Jets to go after Calvin Ridley

With free agency less than two months away, Sauce Gardner is hoping the Jaguars let Calvin Ridley hit the market.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a tough call to make regarding wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The impending free agent put together a 1,000-yard season in his first season with the team, but also had way too many critical drops in big moments.

If the Jaguars allow Ridley to reach free agency, there will undoubtedly be interest from other teams who hope to snag the 29-year-old receiver on the open market.

New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner hopes his squad will be one of those teams:

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is also expected to become a free agent and would likely be the top player at the position if he does. Last week, PFF’s Gordon McGuinness wrote that Higgins would be a perfect fit in Jacksonville.

Later this offseason, the Jaguars are expected to receive two compensatory draft selections for the losses of Jawaan Taylor and Arden Key last year in free agency. If the team lost Ridley this year, it could mean another compensatory pick in 2025, although that could be negated if the Jaguars choose to be spenders.

Ridley finished the 2023 season with 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns.

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Sauce Gardner named to PFWA All-NFL team

Sauce Gardner named one of the top cornerbacks by the Pro Football Writers of America.

Another day, another top recognition for Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. This one comes from the Pro Football Writers of America.

This is Gardner’s second straight appearance on the All-NFL team from the PFWA, just like his second straight appearance on the First Team All-Pro. Gardner is joined on the team by Dallas Cowboys’ cornerback Daron Bland.

Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams also received recognition from the PFWA as he was named to the All-AFC team at defensive tackle. Gardner was, of course, a part of this team as well. Aaron Donald of the Rams and Chris Jones of the Chiefs were the All-NFL defensive tackles.

Five Jets named to ESPN Top 100 MVP list

Five Jets named to ESPN Top 100 MVP list

Most, if not all NFL writers and analysts have cast their ballots for the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 NFL season. Ballots now can include five players instead of the single vote voters has previously been allowed.

ESPN’s Seth Walder recently decided to go all out and experiment with rolling out a list of 100 players. In that list, five members of the New York Jets had their name appear on the list. Let’s take a look at those five players.

Sauce Gardner earns second straight All Pro honors

Back to back All Pro appearances for Sauce Gardner.

Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner is now two for two in being named to the All Pro team after another incredible season that included 12 passes defended.

Gardner became the first cornerback since 1970 to be named First Team All Pro in each of his first two seasons. Last season, Gardner was the first rookie cornerback since Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott in 1981 to earn the honor.

Gardner finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 ranked cornerback this season.

Gardner could have potentially been joined by slot cornerback Michael Carter II, as the team included the position, but Trent McDuffie of the Chiefs and Taron Johnson of the Bills were named to the team ahead of Carter.

Another well deserved honor for Gardner. He was one of two Jets named to the team this season, joining linebacker Quincy Williams, a first-time selection.

Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams reach second straight Pro Bowl

The Jets have a pair of Pro Bowl selections for 2023 in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams.

The Jets have a pair of Pro Bowl players for the 2023 season, both achieving the honor for the second straight season.

Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and cornerback Sauce Gardner were revealed as starters for this season’s edition of the Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Florida.

Williams becomes the third defensive lineman in Jets’ franchise history to reach back-to-back Pro Bowls, joining Hall of Famer Joe Klecko and John Abraham.

Gardner is just the second player in franchise history to be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. Safety Erik McMillan achieved the honor after the 1988 and 1989 seasons.

The Jets also have six players as alternates for the Pro Bowl. Kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Thomas Morstead are first alternates, linebacker C.J. Mosley is a third alternate and running back Breece Hall, linebacker Quincy Williams and edge Jermaine Johnson are fifth alternates.

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games takes place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Sunday, February 4.