New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) walks the sidelines during practice at the NFL football team’s training facility, Friday, July 21, 2023, in Florham Park, N.J. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
There isn’t a group in New York this season that has the potential to be as dominant as the Jets’ defense in 2023.
New York returns eight of the 11 starters on a unit that finished in the top three in most statistical categories and should be even better with another year under Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich. What does a successful season look like for the defense this year? Another top-five finish? Multiple All-Pros?
We go through the top five boldest predictions for this Jets defense heading into their first game against the Buffalo Bills.
MORE: Bold Predictions for Jets Offense
Quinnen Williams wins Defensive Player of the Year Award
New York has a lot of dominant defensive players. The best on the field is their interior defensive tackle. Quinnen Williams is coming off a breakout season that helped him become the second-highest-paid tackle in football behind Aaron Donald.
What does a new season have in store for him? In short, more dominance. Williams finished seventh in the DPOY voting, and this year is the time for him to win the award. Williams will have over 15 sacks and be the first Jets’ defensive player to win the prestigious award since Hall-of-Famer Joe Klecko did it in 1981.
Sometimes NFL seasons are like poetry. This is one of those instances.
Sauce Gardner takes a small step back in Sophomore Year
Many of Gang Green’s fanbase won’t agree with this take, but it’s not so outlandish when context is added. Sauce Gardner is already a top cornerback in football. He was the first rookie since Ronnie Lott in 1981 to be a First-Team All-Pro in the secondary.
As good as he was though, there is always a fear and expectation of being unable to match the numbers in his sophomore season. He also has to go up against an unbelievable list…
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