The bill always comes due for NFL teams to pay their young stars, and the New York Jets are working against the clock these days.
In 2022, the Jets were fortunate enough to have the Rookies of the Year on both sides of the ball. Fast forward to 2025, and neither of those still-young stars has a long-term extension to remain in New York (okay, New Jersey).
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner both had their fifth-year options picked up, so neither is hitting free agency until 2027 at the earliest. But rather than playing out the final two seasons of their deals with trade rumors hanging over their heads, both players would surely love to hammer out extensions.
It will cost the Jets a pretty penny to lock both players in, but Gardner's contract will likely put him in rare air. In fact, one football writer believes there's a good chance the 24-year-old could get record-setting money.
On Monday, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox named Gardner as the cornerback most likely to "reset the market" at his position, which would mean topping the $30 million mark on an average annual value basis.
"The Cincinnati product was named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and has earned first-team All-Pro honors twice. He had a "down" season in 2024 but allowed an opposing passer rating of only 86.9 in coverage," Knox wrote.
"Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was a first-team All-Pro in 2024 but hasn't quite matched Gardner's overall three-year resume. Yet, he became the highest-paid defensive back in league history in March with an extension worth $30 million annually. One can argue that Stingley is the better of the two young star corners, but he signed first, and Gardner may sign for more."
Gardner is making $10.6 million this season, the last year of his original rookie deal, and his fifth-year option is slated for $20.2 million.
It will be very interesting to see whether the Jets opt to negotiate with him now or try and make him earn his extension by proving his mediocre 2024 (by his own standards) was a fluke.
