The two biggest pieces of the NY Jets' new regime are officially in place. On Saturday, the Jets announced Darren Mougey as the next general manager to pair with new head coach Aaron Glenn.
Both Mougey and Glenn have a lot of decisions and moves that need to be made to improve the roster for 2025 and beyond. Some of these include a decision on the future of Aaron Rodgers with the Jets and trying to extend star wideout Garrett Wilson.
While much of the focus will be on improving the offense, New York has work to do on the defensive side of the football. Glenn and his defensive staff need to get the unit back to playing like it did in 2022 and 2023 after a down season in 2024.
One key piece to New York's defense who had a down year for his standards was Sauce Gardner. With Aaron Glenn at the helm, Gardner could be primed for a breakout in one specific area of his game where production hasn't come often.
How Aaron Glenn can help Sauce Gardner bounce back for the NY Jets
Going back to his playing days with the Jets from 1994-2001, Aaron Glenn still stands as one of the best cornerbacks in franchise history. In Glenn's eight seasons with Gang Green, he was selected to two Pro Bowls in 1997 and 1998 as a key piece to the franchise's turnaround under Bill Parcells.
One of Glenn's strengths as a corner was his ball-hawking ability. In eight seasons with the Jets, Glenn had 24 interceptions, including a big six-interception season in 1998. Those 24 interceptions rank tied for fourth most in franchise history. Glenn also recorded six interceptions returned for touchdowns in his 15-year career, which ranks 21st in NFL history.
As for Gardner, interceptions have not been easy to come by during the first three seasons of his career. In 48 games, the former fourth overall pick has just three career interceptions, including zero during the 2023 campaign. Coming off a year where Gardner wasn't quite what he was in his first two seasons, Glenn could be exactly what he needs.
Not only has Glenn proven successful as a player at the position, but his defense plays to Gardner's strengths. During the 2024 season, the Lions ranked fifth in the NFL in man coverage usage. However, the Jets used man coverage significantly less, ranking 17th in the NFL.
Gardner has proven, through his first three seasons, even during a down year in 2024, to be an elite shutdown corner in man coverage. Since entering the league in 2022, the 24-year-old has the best yards allowed per coverage snap and target in the NFL. Gardner also ranks third best in the NFL in passer rating allowed while in man coverage.
While hauling in interceptions isn't the be-all, end-all for cornerbacks in the NFL, they are still crucial in breaking down the position. Gardner has many elite traits that make him one of the league's best corners, and if Glenn and his system can add more ball-hawking traits to Gardner's game, it is just another weapon added to an already dangerous repertoire.