Jets are taking a massive gamble on their Sauce Gardner replacement

The reverberations of the shockwaves the New York Jets sent around the NFL are still being felt following the team's explosive fire sale. The initial thought was that the team would sell off veteran odds and ends to acquire assets to build around their core. Instead, they blew it up.

While the title of most shocking trade at the deadline is up for debate, the biggest return was the haul the Jets got for Sauce Gardner, which included two first-round picks and former second-round wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.

In trading away the undisputed best corner in the game, the Jets are betting big on promising rookie Azareye'h Thomas and veteran Brandon Stephens. Believe it or not, the odds of that working out might actually be pretty good.

The Jets are relying on Azareye'h Thomas and Brandon Stephens after the Sauce Gardner trade

Gardner's departure leaves behind some gigantic shoes to fill, and in all honesty, looking for someone to become the next Sauce Gardner is a fool's errand. Despite that, this roll of the dice has a pretty decent shot of working out for New York.

The Jets already got a taste of what life without Gardner would be like when Thomas stepped in for him in the starting lineup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Going up against the dynamic duo of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is a difficult task for any corner, let alone a rookie, but Thomas held his own.

While he did get burned for a 44-yard touchdown by Higgins, he allowed just two other catches for 24 yards, while also coming away with a pass deflection. All told, his 66.6 Pro Football Focus coverage grade was encouraging, despite being the lowest mark he's recorded in his limited action this season.

The Jets were the subject of much ridicule when they signed Brandon Stephens to a three-year, $36 million contract early in free agency, and out of the gate, it seemed like the criticism was warranted. Stephens struggled mightily over the first three weeks of the season, but since then, he's been playing like one of the best corners in football.

All told, Stephens' 72.5 coverage grade ranks 15th out of 105 corners. From Week 4 on, he's posted a coverage grade of less than 72 just once, with that nadir coming against Denver in Week 6.

In fact, Stephens, and not Gardner, is the Jets' top graded corner on the season. He's committed fewer penalties, one compared to Gardner's four, and allowed just 9.9 yards per reception compared to Gardner's 17. This isn't to say that he's a better player, but it is a representation of the fact that Stephens is currently playing like a No. 1 corner.

While cornerback is an important position, this move may leave the Jets better off in the long run. As good as Gardner is, the most he can do is take away his side of the field.

One could argue that having two above-average corners (and we'll see if Thomas and Stephens can solidify their status as such) in combination with a solid pass rush is more effective than employing the best corner in the game.

With the picks the Jets acquired for Gardner, they're set up to build an overall better roster, making this a game of asset management. As elite as Gardner is, in a sport that requires so much symbiosis, his talent can only mask so many deficiencies.

This way, the Jets have the opportunity to get a greater impact from several above-average players versus one lone star.