It’s the least shocking news of the entire offseason for the New York Jets.
The team announced that they have exercised the fifth-year options for cornerback Sauce Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson. All three were first-round selections of New York’s historic 2022 draft class.
And all appear to have bright futures with the Jets’ upcoming.
Jets’ 5th-Year Option Decisions
The trio of Gardner, Wilson, and Johnson has been known as one of the best first-round hauls in Jets history. Each player has stepped up in their own way to be part of the future blueprint to make New York a winner.
Gardner is the first cornerback since the merger to be named a first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons. His fifth-year option means that he will hold a cap hit of over $20 million in 2026.
Wilson remains New York’s best offensive player. He is the first receiver in Jets history to record three-straight 1,000-yard seasons to start his career. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year is coming off a 101-catch, 1,104-yard season for the Jets offense. He will also carry a $16.8 million cap charge on the team if no long-term deal is reached by then.
Johnson’s case was a big difference compared to that of his two other teammates. While he recorded 10 sacks combined in his first two years with the team, he is returning from an Achilles injury that cost him most of the 2024 season. Even so, the Jets will pay Johnson over $13.9 million as part of that fifth-year option.
This all comes back to Gardner, Wilson, and Johnson’s contracts in 2026, which will take a large chunk out of the Jets’ future cap space. If they can negotiate a long-term deal with each player, those cap hits will be lowered.
Jets general manager Darren Mougey even spoke briefly about each situation immediately following the conclusion of the 2025 draft.
“In terms of contracts and extensions on any players, I’ll always keep that in-house, and we’ll keep those dealings in those discussions in-house,” Mougey said.
With no long-term deals agreed to yet, the Jets and three of their star players are playing a waiting game. At the very least, they know they still have all three under contract for the next two years.
