After navigating his way around a series of questions about a possible new contract ahead of his fourth season with the Green & White, star CB Sauce Gardner made one thing perfectly clear.
"I just want to play football," Gardner said on Thursday, the final day of mandatory minicamp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center.
After the final day of the three-day camp, players will depart until it all gets seriously serious with the start of training camp in late July.
It seems a bit contradictory to call Gardner, 24, a young veteran, yet that's exactly what he is. The Detroit native via the University of Cincinnati came to the Jets at the No. 4 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. He drew instant raves and accolades: Pro Bowl and first-time Associated Press All-Pro in each of his first two seasons; plus NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. And now he's one of the guys his even-younger teammates seek out for advice, guidance and leadership.
"I swear I'll think about it," Gardner said "It's like, I just got in the league and I'm already in Year 4, and I got guys like AZ [third-round draft pick CB Azareye'h Thomas] coming up to me, like, 'hey man.' I'm like, am I old? He really got me thinking if I'm old. I'm like, nah, I'm still mad young. But it's just how it is. You know, we're a pretty young team, but we got a lot of talent still, too."
This season Gardner will be the dean, in terms of years of service, in the Jets' defensive backfield. Across the way will be a new face in Brandon Stephens, who signed in free agency from the Ravens. And HC Aaron Glenn, himself an accomplished NFL cornerback in his days, has put his trust in Gardner -- and he's not bashful saying so.
"Here's what I want Sauce to do, and here's what I'll talk to him about who, about who he needs to be," Glenn said on Thursday. "When you do lead, just let your influence do all the talking. How do you operate in the huddle with the players in the locker room? That speaks more than the rah-rah guy, and he understands that, because influence, to me, is what, really, leadership is about.
"How do you influence your other teammates? How do you influence people around you no matter what? And I think he's done a really good job of that. And sometimes you have to sit back and talk to players about that, because sometimes players think that leadership is about 'I got to call the guys up and talk about this. I have to be in a locker room.' Oh, man, just be yourself and influence people the right way. And he's done a really good job of that."
Gardner has gotten the message and has taken it to heart as he and the rest of the defense learn and get comfortable with the system being installed by DC Steve Wilks under the ever-watchful eye of Glenn.
Asked what his next step is, Gardner said: "Being a leader, leading even more. I feel like that's what I've done a pretty good job at this time around, just being a guy that everybody could talk to and lead by example. Make sure I influence everybody ... catch more picks! And I feel like I got the coaches around me, the guys around me to make that happen."
He's convinced the interceptions will come, and Gardner offered high praise for Glenn and his coaching staff.
"You know, based off the installs, we're going to do a lot of stuff," he said. "I always thank them [the coaches] every single day because they put me in a position to make plays. Not just me finding ways to make plays and trying to do Herculean things to make plays. They're actually putting me, putting the rest of our secondary, our whole defense in a position to make plays. So, you know, I'm grateful for that."
In the early going with Glenn, Gardner said: "We had some tough conversations. We had some funny conversations. We have all types of conversations. And you know, this is part of his legacy. He played here. He's able to coach here. So, we want to be the best that we can be for him."
