Sauce Gardner set to take on Bills after brief injury worry

The Jets breathed a sigh of relief with Sauce Gardner.

The star cornerback was limited in practice Thursday with a groin injury, but he practiced fully Friday and does not carry an injury designation for Sunday’s home clash against the Bills. Gardner suffered the injury during Thursday’s practice.

Gardner explained that because he missed time in training camp and the preseason with calf and fibula injuries, the Week 1 loss to the Steelers was the most he’s played in a while. It caused soreness in his groin.

He is coming off a stellar showing, his first game since becoming the highest-paid cornerback in the league with the four-year, $120.4 million contract extension he signed this past offseason.

He covered DK Metcalf and traveled with him on both sides of the field — something he rarely did during Robert Saleh’s regime.

He lined up against Metcalf on 30 of 34 passing plays and allowed just one 11-yard reception. His 90.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus was highest among all cornerbacks across the NFL.

On Sunday, Sauce will be key to helping slow down Josh Allen and the high-octane Bills passing attack. Gardner will likely cover Keon Coleman, who had eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown in Buffalo’s Week 1 win over the Ravens.

The Jets got some other beneficial injury news as well. Star defensive tackle Ed Oliver was ruled out with an ankle injury for the Bills.

He had six tackles, including three for loss, and a sack last week.

Running back Breece Hall said after last week’s loss that miscommunication between him and the offensive line in their protection for quarterback Justin Fields hurt the Jets at the end of the game. They gained just a combined 12 yards on their final two drives.

Hall believes the issue has been fixed.

“We try to come off the field and communicate what we’re seeing,” Hall said. “As a running back, we’re the adjuster off of what the O-line wants to do. We try to be really adamant, letting them know ‘whatever you guys are most comfortable with, just make sure you communicate to us because we want to be human eraser for you guys.’ So if they send six guys, we’re picking up the extra guy that’s coming free. One game in, we fixed what we needed to get fixed, so we’ll be fine.

Defensive lineman Jay Tufele (illness) and running back/returner Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) were ruled out for Sunday’s game.