The New York Jets made two picks in the top 10 of the 2022 NFL Draft, and it's safe to say they hit on both of them. On Monday, general manager Darren Mougey signed star wide receiver Garrett Wilson to a four-year, $130 million extension, and on Tuesday, it was Sauce Gardner's turn to get paid.
According to NFL Media, the Jets' star cornerback has agreed to a four-year $120.4 million extension that averages $30.1 million per year, and makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. ESPN reports that the deal ties Gardner to the Jets for the next six seasons through 2030, and includes $60 million guaranteed. Gardner also made his own announcement on social media.
This is the third time the cornerback market has been reset this offseason. In March, Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal. Then, just one week later, the Houston Texans gave Derek Stingley Jr. a three-year, $90 million contract that included a whopping $89 million guaranteed.
Gardner, who was selected with the No. 4 overall pick in 2022, earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors after recording 75 combined tackles, two interceptions, and a league-leading 20 passes defensed. He became the first rookie cornerback to ever be named a First Team All-Pro, and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl as well. His counterpart, Wilson, won Offensive Rookie of the Year that same season.
Through his first two NFL campaigns, Gardner allowed the fewest yards per target (4.6) and the second-lowest completion percentage (46%). He also became the first cornerback since Dick Harris in 1961 to be named a First Team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons.
In 2024, Gardner recorded 49 combined tackles, nine passes defensed, one sack, and one interception in 15 games played. It was statistically the worst season of his young career, marking the first time Gardner was not an All-Pro selection. But, at just 24 years old, the Jets have identified Gardner as a cornerstone for Aaron Glenn's new-look defense.
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