Jets rookie on Tyreek: ‘I can handle guys like that.’ And Dolphins address Gesicki’s role

One of the interesting matchups in the AFC East during the next few years will be highly touted Jets rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner covering Dolphins All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill.

Gardner already is yapping.

“I went against guys that are fast, like Jameson Williams of Alabama,” Gardner told New York reporters this week, via ESPN. “He was fast. I ain’t saying he’s Tyreek Hill fast, but I got certain things I like to do. So I can handle guys like that.”

Gardner, the fourth pick of April’s draft, has five passes defended and no interceptions in four starts.

So far, Gardner has permitted 9 of 19 passes thrown in his coverage area to be caught for 101 yards, with one touchdown permitted and a solid 81.3 passer rating in his coverage area.

Hill leads the NFL in receiving yards with 477.

“The challenge is getting him the ball all over the field,” offensive coordinator Frank Smith said. “[And] not letting him line up in the same spot over and over again. The challenge is keep moving him so the defense isn’t always sitting on one thing.”

COACHES WEIGH IN

▪ Asked about Mike Gesicki having just eight catches for 71 yards, Dolphins tight ends coach Jon Embree mentioned that he “got a text from [49ers All-Pro tight end] George Kittle on Tuesday morning at 3 a.m., and it was video of him against the Rams knocking a DB on his behind. That’s what we want, that mentality here. It’s not how many passes you catch.”

Embree coached Kittle in San Francisco.

Embree said Gesicki “has continued to improve as a run blocker. Opportunities in the pass games have gone as coverages dictate.”

Tight end Durham Smythe has played 145 offensive snaps, Gesicki 114 snaps.

Embree is blunt: “We’re not going to ask Mike to block power. When we’re doing some of the heavy running stuff, that’s going to be Durham. Durham gives us a little more in the run game, and we want to be a run-first team.”

Embree — speaking in general and not of anyone in particular — said of blocking and receiving: “If you can’t do both, you’re going to limit how much you can play” as a tight end here.

▪ Defensive coordinator Josh Boyer is dealing with having only four healthy cornerbacks: Nik Needham, Kade Kohou, Noah Igbinoghene and Elijah Campbell.

In an apparent reference to Xavien Howard (groin) and Keion Crossen (glute), Boyer said: “We’ve got [a] couple guys in [the] same category of day to day.”

Howard’s agent, David Canter, said on Twitter last week that the corner has “two severely hurt groin muscles.”

Howard has been trying to play through the injury.

Asked what Igbinoghene must do to play, Boyer said: “He’s had a real positive attitude, worked really hard at practice. When he gets an opportunity, he will have earned it. Hopefully... he’ll make the most out of it.”

Igbinoghene hasn’t played a defensive snap this season.

The Dolphins will need to deal with a couple of impressive young receivers: rookie Garrett Wilson (20 receptions, 255 yards, 2 TDs) and Elijiah Moore (15 receptions, 192 yards) and veteran Corey Davis (15 for 261, 2 TDs).

Boyer said Jets quarterback Zach Wilson has a “very strong arm. Looks like he’s making his progression reads quicker. He’s athletic and slippery in the pocket.”

▪ Smith on Skylar Thompson, who will be the No. 2 quarterback before Tua Tagovailoa returns: “One thing you noticed about Skylar is how mature he is and how professional his approach [has been] from Day 1. You see an approach that is very veteran, taking the mental reps.”

▪ One personnel decision that will continue to play out is how many defensive snaps to give Andrew Van Ginkel behind Jaelan Phillips (who has played 189) and Melvin Ingram (154).

Van Ginkel has played 7, 0, 21, and 6 defensive snaps in the first four games — a total of 34. The team wanted to be cautious with him in Week 1 after he returned from having his appendix removed. But during the past two weeks, his limited playing time has been a personnel decision.

“Andrew has done a great job,” outside linebackers coach Ty McKenzie said. “We want him to be on the field more often.”

▪ McKenzie said Phillips has improved against the run: “It’s been pretty impressive. He’s been setting the edge. He’s doing a great job.”

▪ Special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, on the potential return of safety and special teams ace Clayton Fejedelem from injured reserve: “It will be big. We’re happy to have him back.”

▪ The Dolphins are just 29th in the league with seven sacks, but Boyer downplayed the sack numbers Thursday. The Dolphins always have emphasized creating pressures, and their pressure numbers are better than their sack numbers.

“We’ve got to finish a little bit better,” defensive line coach Austin Clark said, citing one instance where Trey Flowers and Phillips nearly got a sack against Cincinnati but just missed.