Reporting from Florham Park, NJ — The New York Jets may be preparing for the start of the 2025 draft, but they are keeping an eye on three of their stars from the 2022 draft class.
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson, cornerback Sauce Gardner, and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson are eligible to have the fifth-year options in their rookie contracts picked up this offseason. The deadline to make a decision is May 1.
Speaking to reporters Monday morning, general manager Darren Mougey spoke out on whether or not those options would be taken in.
Jets Expect to Pick Up Fifth-Year Options
Early in his media availability, Mougey stated that the team “anticipates” taking the options on all three of their first-round picks, but they “have time to make that decision.”
Each player’s option is a bit different based on the numbers they put up in their first three seasons and any awards they picked up during that time span.
Gardner is set to be owed $20.1 million on his option, while Wilson will make $16.8 million, and Johnson will reach $13.4 million.
The answer was a surprise, not for Gardner or Wilson, but for Johnson. The former Florida State product has recorded 10 sacks in three seasons with the team, but tore his Achilles in Week 2 last season against the Tennessee Titans.
Johnson has done what he could to get back on the field for the start of the 2025 season, though, and the Jets appear more than comfortable giving him an extra year to get back to his 7.5-sack total from the 2023 campaign.
“If I was the fans, I wouldn’t be worried about how I’m going to look next year,” Johnson said to the team’s website. “You all just enjoy it. I’ll do what I’m supposed to do.”
Mougey was later noncommittal about extending Gardner and Wilson. Both are expected to be part of the organization’s long-term future, though.
Gardner is the first defensive back in NFL history to be named a first-team All-Pro in his first two seasons with the team as the former fourth overall pick. Wilson, meanwhile, has set a Jets franchise record for most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with the team to start a career with three straight.
The Jets don’t need to finalize long-term deals just yet, but they will need to decide what to do with each player’s fifth-year option. And it seems New York and its new general manager are leaning one particular way.
