With the acquisition of Sauce Gardner, the New York Jets discovered a real gem.

With one of the most remarkable rookie seasons for a cornerback in NFL history and a clear victory as Defensive Rookie of the Year, the gifted defensive back completely took the league by storm in his debut campaign.

He has already made a name for himself as one of the league’s unquestionably greatest defensive backs.

Gardner wants to be a Jet for life, which should excite Jets supporters despite the team’s never-ending difficulties.

I wanna be a New York Jet for the rest of my career.

— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) May 2, 2024

The former standout player from Cincinnati is sweeping the league.

In addition to being a powerful, lockdown defender downhill, particularly close to the endzone, the Jets boast a defense worthy of a championship.

But if they fail to meet their target this time, it might be a make-or-break season for this group, and things might look quite different in the future.

In the summer, general manager Joe Douglas increased his commitment to Aaron Rodgers and their ongoing project, possibly realizing that this was his last chance to complete the work in New York.

The same is true for head coach Robert Saleh, who will no longer be given the benefit of the doubt if Aaron Rodgers stays healthy and this club is unable to win the championship.

Luckily for them, they can always rely on the former No. 4 pick to successfully shadow the top receiver on the other team. It wouldn’t be strange to see him make the Defensive Player of the Year shortlist in 2024.