Since the end of the 2024 NFL season, one of the New York Jets’ top priorities has been to extend franchise cornerstones Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson. Drafted in 2022 by the Jets, both players have quickly established themselves among the best at their positions.
Now, they’re looking to get paid like it—deservedly so.
Both players have long stated their desire to stay in New York, but money talks. The Jets will need to pay up if they want to keep them here for the years to come.
Wilson’s contract could be a bit tricky. The wide receiver market is expensive, with the highest-paid player, Ja’Marr Chase, earning $40 million per year.
However, there’s a nice middle with seven players making between $25 million and $30.5 million per year that Wilson should fall into.
On the other hand, Sauce’s contract will be more difficult and trickier than conventional wisdom would have everybody believe.
The CB market has exploded
A year ago, the cornerback market was extremely stagnant, which initially boded well for the New York Jets’ salary situation.
The highest-paid player, Green Bay Packers’ Jaire Alexander, signed his deal for a four-year, $84 million ($21 million AAV) contract in 2022 with only $30M guaranteed.
It wasn’t until Patrick Surtain signed his contract in 2024 that it finally went up to $24 million APY. While a big raise, it was still $11 million less than the highest-paid receiver at the time.
Given the stagnation, I was hopeful that the Jets could beat the market and quickly extend Sauce.
Then … 2025 happened.
First, Jaycee Horn got a four-year, $100 million deal on March 10. Derek Stingley Jr. exploded the market a week later, receiving $90 million for three years ($30 million APY).
The craziest part? The contract was 99% guaranteed despite Stingley missing 14 games in his first two seasons.
From 2022 to the summer of 2024, the top cornerback earned $21 million per season and only had $30 million guaranteed. As we prepare for the 2025 season, the top cornerback is earning $30 million per year with $89 million guaranteed.
This is a significant change that has major implications.
Patience hurt, but it cannot discourage the Jets
Prior to these extensions, there wasn’t much debate on how much Sauce Gardner should get paid. The market dictated he would earn between $22M and $25M AAV.
Now, that range has doubled to $25M to $31M AAV.
Sauce’s career compares very well with that of other top cornerbacks like Patrick Surtain. Given that, I’d expect he’d want to be the new highest-paid player.
SEE ALSO: Sauce Gardner vs. Patrick Surtain—Who is NFL CB1?That $6M AAV difference is the same as what Jets starters John Simpson and former NFL All-Pro Quincy Williams are each making—a dollar number that no NFL team is rushing to pay.
There are also concerns about paying cornerbacks big money.
Jaire Alexander was released due to injuries limiting him. Meanwhile, Jalen Ramsey is likely being traded after being extended less than a year ago.
There are obviously success stories as well. Surtain was extended after a down year and responded with a defensive player of the year campaign.
The Jets likely hope Gardner can do the same.
Ultimately, the New York Jets should and likely will pay Sauce Gardner. Unfortunately, the decision to wait as the new front office settled cost them big time.
Waiting to pay star players is a move that rarely pays off, which is making these particular negotiations a bit trickier than usual.