Sauce Gardner, the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year last year, has locked down a historic four-year, $120.4 million extension with the New York Jets. With an average annual salary of $30.1 million, this deal puts him atop the NFL cornerbacks salary list. This historic agreement comes on the heels of Gardner’s groundbreaking work in the league. Since joining, he won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year distinction in 2022 and was the first cornerback since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons.
Gardner has quickly, at just 24 years of age, made the stamp of one of the premier players in the league. He ranks second among cornerbacks in EPA per target as the nearest defender. This Next Gen Stats statistic is a great example that illustrates his impact on the field. His remarkable stats are a testament to his unique ability to dictate games in a positive way for his squad.
The contract extension is worth $85.653 million, all of which is fully guaranteed. This is quite a feat, seeing that he’ll be the first Jets player to become the highest-paid player at his position, since linebacker C.J. Mosley. This historic achievement serves as a marker of Gardner’s overnight ascent to fame within the NFL. He has now overtaken fellow cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans.
Gardner’s new deal comes in the wake of a record-setting contract for his Jets organization. Receiver Garrett Wilson recently signed a four-year, $130 million extension. The Jets are betting big on this youth movement, having invested deeply into their young, homegrown talent. Gardner and Wilson together become the first two former first-round picks to ever receive extensions in their first year of eligibility under the NFL’s current financial system.
During a recent Jets minicamp, Gardner said he wants to be in New York long-term.
“I want to change the organization. I want to be a part of changing the organization.” – Sauce Gardner
These personal aspirations correspond nicely with his public commitment to improving the team’s performance and culture to the next level.
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