Sauce Gardner trade opens door for Jets rookie Azareye’h Thomas

The trade of Sauce Gardner to the Colts sent shockwaves through the Jets locker room this week.

But it also opened up a pathway for rookie Azareye’h Thomas, who now will slide into Gardner’s starting cornerback spot.

“It’s a blessing,” Thomas said. “It’s something you grow up wanting to do. Everybody wants to get to the National Football League and start. Now, I’ve got my [opportunity] to do that, and so I’m just trying to take full advantage of it and continue to compete and execute and just ball for my teammates.”

Sunday’s game against the Browns will actually be Thomas’ second straight start.

He started against the Bengals when Gardner was out with a concussion.

Thomas gave up one highlight play — a 44-yard touchdown to Tee Higgins — but played well overall.

Higgins and fellow Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase did not do that much damage to the Jets defense.

“I feel like it was pretty good,” Thomas said of the Bengals game. “I can always do better. I feel like I’m my harshest critic. I just have to clean up the little, small details. Like the touchdown with Tee Higgins, I was in perfect position, but I looked back too early for the ball and he faded away. He got away from me and scored. Outside of that, I was like, nobody is going to catch another ball. That’s just my mindset.”

Though Thomas is happy to have the chance to play, he is sad to see Gardner go.

“I learned a lot from him, just how to watch film, what he looks at, route concepts, how he watches film on certain days, what does he watch,” Thomas said. “When you have a guy like that, with the stardom that he has, a lot of guys are going to sugarcoat it. He gave me everything. He gave the team everything. Now that he’s gone, it sucks but it’s always the next-man-up mindset.”

The Jets elevated OL Kohl Levao and DT Payton Page from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.