Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner is a little lighter in the wallet these days, but can take solace in the fact that he’s secured his old college number with the New York Jets.
Gardner confirmed that he had come to an agreement with teammate DJ Reed to acquire the No. 1 jersey in exchange for $50,000. Reed, who joined the Jets in March, will now switch to number 4 for the 2022 NFL season.
As the number 4 overall pick in the past NFL Draft, Gardner can certainly afford the transaction, having signed a 4yr/$33.5M contract, including a $21.5M signing bonus. The talented rookie is expected to help turn around a Jets secondary that’s seen more than its fair share of on field difficulties over the years.
Over the course of his 4 year collegiate career, the former Cincinnati Bearcat didn’t allow a single touchdown in coverage. Even more impressive, in 2021 Gardner allowed just 13 catches for 117 yards on defense.
The 2021 AAC Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-American joins Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson, Florida State DE Jermaine Johnson II, and Iowa State RB Breece Hall on a new look Jets roster in 2022.