The New York Jets are quietly creating a stir by extending their most important building blocks. Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson are both signed to seven-year, $100 million extensions, locking them up through 2030. Meanwhile Gardner signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension, and Wilson’s contract was even more rich at $130 million. Future moves further emphasize the franchise’s commitment to construct a competitive roster around their foundational players.
In addition to Gardner and Wilson, the Jets secured defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn with a five-year, $19.3 million contract extension when he was just 25 years old. Glenn is especially excited about where his team is headed. No question the new GM believes in building around core players like Gardner and Wilson and keeping them in the fold long-term.
As Glenn put it, that’s 200 million dollars down the rat hole. We have to walk pretty softly at this point, but I’m still optimistic,” he said about their new financial commitments. I feel like…and with the guys that we have here, I hope that we’ll be able to accomplish that.”
The Jets’ roster evaluation is far from complete. As Seattle basks in the glow of their impressive signings, there are some difficult decisions looming on many other players already on the team. Breece Hall, a second-round selection in the same draft class as Gardner and Wilson. As a result, he’s now going into his walk year without the benefit of a fifth-year option. Given his lackadaisical success this past season, Hall’s stay in Carolina seems to be a huge question mark. His low-salaried support adds to the cloud of uncertainty about his role.
Johnson, a first-round pick in 2022, is extension-eligible. Beyond the ascendancy of the Eagles, his personal career trajectory has been hampered by a torn Achilles that he suffered last season. With Johnson’s long-term potential near zero, the Jets have to choose wisely.
Vera-Tucker is on his fifth-year option and has been vocal about wanting to stick around in New York long-term as well. I’d like to be with the team that drafted Vera-Tucker,” he said. His words are an inspiring expression of a strong devotion to the enterprise.
Quincy Williams is under contract through the end of 2024 as part of his three-year, $18 million contract extension. The Jets’ Quinnen Williams just got a new deal this offseason – $96 million over four years. These moves reinforce the Jets commitment to keeping their best pivotal young core defensive and offensive players.
So Glenn is understandably excited about the new contracts. He hopes to start a new tradition with the franchise of being able to retain its best players. I’m excited we closed the transactions. I want these players here for the long haul, and so I really wanted to try to set a good precedent by bringing everybody back,” he said.
For the Jets, it’s a big test of their roster management acumen. They need to consider the net fiscal benefit and determine how each player fits into their overall vision. The decisions that are made over the next few months will set the team’s competitiveness for years to come.
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