They knew what they needed to do this offseason. Yet, it didn’t happen fast enough.
The New York Jets knew that many of the top young players from the historic 2022 draft class were finally eligible for extensions. The team knew it had to decide whether to get ahead of the market value by extending those players early in the process.
It didn’t happen.
Now, the market value for some of New York’s top players has ballooned, and they must have difficult conversations moving forward.
Perhaps nowhere is that reality more felt than with two-time First-Team All-Pro Sauce Gardner.
Gardner and Jets Extension Update
The original hope for the Jets would be that they may be able to extend a player like Gardner around the $25 million-per-year range this offseason. That’s where reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain found himself with his extension last offseason.
That is no longer the magic number, though.
With Jaycee Horn’s $25 million per year average topped by All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley’s $30 million per year average, the price of a top cornerback has now increased significantly.
Stingley was taken a pick ahead of Gardner in the 2022 draft, but the Cincinnati product has two first-team All-Pro bids to start his career, beating Stingley’s lone appearance achieved last year.
That alone, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN, could lead Gardner to wanting more than just his counterpart’s current deal.
“It’s probably safe to say that Gardner is seeking more than $30 million per year, and he’s probably looking to secure the bag before the start of the season,” Cimini said. “He’s due to make $5.3 million in 2025, plus an estimated $20 million in 2026 (fifth-year option). The Jets could try to slow-play the negotiations because his cap charge won’t spike until 2026, but the price of Sauce is likely to increase if they wait.”
Cimini’s last point is key.
“The price of Sauce is likely to increase if they wait.”
New York has already waited plenty. Houston and Carolina beat them out to get their extensions signed. Now, they are in a difficult situation.
What Happens Now?
So what happens now?
It’s important to remember that the Jets’ new regime understands they need to not only collect strong talent in the draft, but retain some of that talent that is currently on the roster.
Despite a down year last season compared to his all-time great start, Gardner is still a key part of the organization’s future. Speaking at the combine in early March, general manager Darren Mougey understood that at the very least.
“The to-do list is to keep good young players on the team and add good players,” Mougey said.
No, the first-time GM did not specify exactly when a deal would be done for Gardner (or wide receiver Garrett Wilson), but the longer the team waits, the more it aligns itself with teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys, who had to pay top market value for their stars at key positions simply because they waited as long as possible to get a deal done.
That isn’t a place where the Jets want to be.
