New York Jets' star cornerback Sauce Gardner has always been a feisty presence on the field, known for his prowess as well as for his enjoyment of engaging in trash talk. At a recent joint practice session with the New York Giants, Gardner took his antics to another level, delivering a memorable jab to the Giants after his team scored yet another touchdown, waving goodbye to them as they struggled to keep up.
Giants Rookies Face the Heat
One of the notable aspects of the joint practice was the performance of Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers. Selected as the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of LSU, Nabers had his work cut out for him going up against Gardner and the Jets' aggressive defense. Despite the intense competition, Nabers impressed Gardner, who sees shades of excellence in the young player.
"He nice. He's very sudden when it comes to getting in and out of his breaks. A little Ja'Marr Chase. A little Justin Jefferson. He's going to be a really good player," Gardner said, comparing Nabers to current NFL stars like Chase and Jefferson, who also hail from LSU.
Holding Their Ground
The Giants, for their part, took the Jets' trash talk in stride. Following the practice, the sentiment in the Giants' camp was that Gardner and his team had earned the right to be vocally confident due to their performance on the field. As Nabers put it, "I mean, they won on the day. Their defense came out, executed well. We beat ourselves today."
A Tough Day for Daniel Jones
An interesting subplot to the day's practice was the verbal showdown between Gardner and the Giants' starting quarterback, Daniel Jones. Gardner didn’t hold back on his assessment of Jones. "Uh, he's uh, he's uh, he's uh good quarterback, you feel me?" Gardner remarked, offering a lukewarm review of the signal-caller. However, it was clear that his respect for Jones had its limits.
Gardner recounted a moment during the practice when he nearly intercepted a pass from Jones. "I thought I was about to pick him off today. I had a cloud rep. He had looked at the last minute to throw the checkdown to [wide receiver] Wan'Dale [Robinson]. I thought I had him picked, but he kept it [and ran]."
Future Concerns for the Giants
While the Giants remain hopeful about Nabers' potential, the future of their quarterback situation seems less certain. Gardner speculated on what he might do if he were in the Giants’ front office facing the 2025 season. Considering the financial implications, Gardner opined that cutting Jones in the 2025 offseason could save the team nearly $20 million in cap space, a significant amount for a franchise looking to improve its roster.
The joint practice gave both teams a lot to think about. For the Giants, it was a humbling experience but also a learning opportunity, especially for their rookies like Nabers who are still finding their footing in the NFL. For the Jets, and Gardner in particular, it was a chance to assert dominance and gain a psychological edge as the regular season approaches.
As the preseason progresses, both teams will be looking to fine-tune their strategies and rectify the flaws exposed during these joint practices. For now, the Jets can relish their victory on the practice field, with Gardner leading the charge in both words and actions.