As the New York Jets prepare for training camp, general manager Joe Douglas and his staff already need to start thinking about a long-term extension for Sauce Gardner.
Gardner has established himself as one of the team’s best players. The Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and a two-time All-Pro, Gardner is already projected to be a top-paid cornerback.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton projected the next market-setting deals around the NFL. Gardner made the list, with a strong explanation of why he’d reset the cornerback market.
“Assuming Gardner continues to perform at his current level, he will probably be the top earner among cornerbacks next year,” Moton wrote. “With more passes potentially coming Garnder’s way in the upcoming season, he has a chance to post his best season numbers in coverage.”
Moton projects Gardner to sign a five-year $110 million contract. That deal would include $75 million guaranteed.
What Does the Cornerback Market Currently Look Like?
Gardner has the potential to be the NFL’s highest-paid corner. That’s saying a lot considering what some of these players are making.
Jaire Alexander currently holds the top spot for average annual salary. He signed a four-year, $84 million deal back in 2022. It’s still the most money per year for any cornerback two years later.
Only two other cornerbacks in the NFL have nine-figure deals. Both Denzel Ward and Jalen Ramsey have secured deals of over $100 million in total money. Ward edges out Ramsey by just $500,000 in total money to be the highest-paid corner by total contract value.
If Gardner was able to secure his projected $110 million extension, it would make him the highest-paid cornerback on both fronts. His total money would exceed Ward’s by nearly $10 million, while making $1 million more per year than Alexander.
There’s no denying that Gardner deserves that kind of contract. He’s made first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in both of his seasons in the league. As a former fourth overall pick, he’s absolutely lived up to the hype.
Expect the Jets to shell out record-breaking money to keep him in New York.
Other Jets Players Waiting to Get Paid
Gardner isn’t the only Jets player hoping for a contract extension in the near future. But he’s definitely the biggest priority.
Haason Reddick just arrived to town for the Jets in a surprising offseason trade. However, he’s been absent from offseason workouts as he hits the final year of his current deal. The Jets will likely need to give him an extension to get him to report to training camp without any added drama.
The Jets will also need to figure out what to do with D.J. Reed. The 27-year-old has been a solid cornerback option, but is playing in 2024 without the assurance of a new deal. Joe Douglas may end up waiting to negotiate, but bringing back Reed should be a priority.
There’s also the matter of Alijah Vera-Tucker’s future in New York. He won’t be a free agent until 2026 thanks to a fifth-year option, but there are still questions about his long-term role with the team.
Meanwhile, the Jets are juggling aging veterans and are in win-now mode. Time will tell which pending free agents Douglas will try to prioritize beyond 2024.
