FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Garrett Wilson sprinted down the field as Aaron Rodgers launched a deep pass, looking for a big gain.
Sauce Gardner, step for step with his New York Jets teammate, stuck out his left arm just as the ball arrived and deftly knocked it away.
Advantage: Gardner. But only for a moment.
On the next play in Saturday's training camp practice, Rodgers went Wilson's way again — this time on a slant pass over the middle. And Wilson made a sweet move in front of Gardner and zipped ahead for extra yardage.
The reigning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year vs. the reigning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year is a must-see matchup this summer. Snap after snap.
“Yeah, it’s fun because sometimes the ball’s not even thrown and they’re out there competing because they find each other all the time,” coach Robert Saleh said. "It’s cliché — iron sharpens iron, an offensive and defensive rookie of the year — but it’s a pretty cool dynamic to watch those two go at it.
“It’s fun to watch those two.”
Wilson and Gardner became the third pair of teammates to win the offensive and defensive rookie awards in the same season, joining the Saints' Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore in 2017 and the Lions' Mel Farr and Lem Barney in 1967.
“The entire organization should be proud, and they should be proud of themselves,” Saleh said. “They put in a lot of work. It’s a great reward. It was a great honor for them and it’s a really cool thing for us, but when the ball kicks off on Sept. 11 (vs. Buffalo), no one is going to care anymore, so we have to keep rolling.”
And the Jets hope they continue to make each other better so they can each dominate opponents for years to come.
Wilson was the No. 10 overall pick last year — six spots after the Jets took Gardner — and immediately developed into the Jets' No. 1 wide receiver. He set the single-season franchise rookie records for receptions with 83 and yards receiving with 1,103 while scoring four touchdowns.
And that was with a mix of mostly subpar quarterback play with Zach Wilson, Mike White and Joe Flacco taking turns as the starter last season.
Now, Garrett Wilson has Rodgers throwing him the ball. And taking him aside, going over plays and quickly building a rapport.
“I want to get better every day,” Wilson said. “And I feel like he’s helping me get there. I mean, he doesn’t slouch on any details. He doesn’t beat around the bush. He's straightforward. He’s going to tell you what we've got to work on, what we’ve got to do better. And, you know, that’s how I want it.”
Rodgers already sees similarities between Wilson and his former Packers teammate Davante Adams, who became one of the NFL's top receivers and most consistent playmakers with the four-time NFL MVP throwing him the ball.
“Davante is in a category by himself, still, but that (No.) 17 reminds me of the other 17,” Rodgers said, “as far as his ability of getting out of breaks and his quick twitch at the line of scrimmage, for sure.”
Wilson said Adams was his favorite receiver to watch while growing up in Texas before heading to Ohio State.
“I've got a long way to go before I get to that point,” Wilson acknowledged.
But he could well be on his way.
During practice Sunday, Rodgers and Wilson connected for another highlight-reel play when the QB rolled to his right during red zone drills and fired a pass into the back of the end zone — where the receiver leaped to grab it and tapped his toes inbounds for the score.
“I feel like I have a great level of confidence,” Wilson said. “But now I've got to go out there and keep stacking. And that’s the goal.”
Gardner has taken the same approach, and it's what guided him through one of the best seasons by a rookie defensive player in franchise history.
The former Cincinnati star had two interceptions and a league-leading 20 passes defensed and was selected an All-Pro while becoming one of the stingiest cornerbacks in the league — causing some to already compare him to Darrelle Revis, the former Jets All-Pro who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 5.
“I want to be the best version of me,” Gardner said of his expectations for this season. “I was the best version of myself last year, but I had a whole offseason of working and making my weaknesses my strengths. This year, I’ll be a whole different version of myself.”
That's a scary thought for opposing wide receivers, who already had a tough time against Gardner last season. Gardner's competitive nature has him focusing on winning whenever he's on the field — including those matchups with Wilson.
“That’s what makes Sauce so special,” Saleh said. "Every play is personal and he is trying to do his absolute best. There is no plays off, he’s not getting bored, he's challenging himself every day. And because of that, I am excited to see what he does next.
“He's just that type of guy that no mountain is high enough. He's just going to keep trying to climb.”
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