The New York Jets know what they have in All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner. They would not have given him a four-year, $120 million extension if they weren’t confident in him.

That doesn’t mean Gardner has nothing left to prove.

While Gardner’s back-to-back first-team All-Pro nominations to start his career were special, the former fourth-overall pick struggled in his third NFL season (2024). Gardner gave up the most yards, catches, and touchdowns last year, and was also called for more penalties than he had in his first two years combined.

Under new coaching, Gardner believes he can return to his All-Pro self in 2025.

The Jets tend to agree.

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It hasn’t mattered who Gardner has faced in his fourth training camp with the Jets; he has looked like his All-Pro self. Perhaps that is the first sign of the 24-year-old returning to his dynamic self.

The difficult part for Gardner now, though, will be proving to the league that last year was nothing more than a fluke.

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However, unlike many stars around the league, Gardner relishes that opportunity.

“I love it, I love how everything I do is under a microscope,” Gardner said after practice on Thursday. “I was having a conversation with [Michael] Carter yesterday, and I said I set the bar so high that I’m really competing with myself now.

“Everything I do is under a microscope. And I love that. I love challenges. I love everything about that, and it took me a little time to have that mentality, but I embrace it now. A lot.”

Since he was drafted, Gardner has been known as one of the best corners in the game. After last season, though, there has been some speculation about whether he can return to that elite status.

“Needs a bounce-back year in 2025,” a veteran AFC personnel staffer told ESPN when ranking Gardner 5th on the current corner list. “Lots of missed tackles and penalties, and didn’t make many plays last year. Too much, too soon, and thought the NFL was easy.”

The 2022 draft pick has seen another player from his class (Derek Stingley) join Gardner in All-Pro status. He also saw another top player at his position, Patrick Surtain II, win the defensive player of the year award in 2024.

Gardner has the potential to be better than both of those players. The Jets know this well. He has to go out and show that throughout the upcoming season.

If New York Jets training camp has been any indication, Sauce Gardner is well on his way.

Reporting from the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, NJ.