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Sources – Jets, CB Sauce Gardner attain 4-year, $120.4M extension


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One other day, one other main contract extension for the New York Jets.

Twenty-four hours after reaching a long-term contract extension with vast receiver Garrett Wilson, the Jets rewarded star cornerback Sauce Gardner with a record-setting contract — a four-year, $120.4 million extension, sources mentioned Tuesday.

The contract consists of $85.653 million assured, a supply informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The 2-time All-Professional turns into the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback, primarily based on common wage per 12 months ($30.1 million). He surpasses Houston Texans star Derek Stingley Jr., who obtained a three-year, $90 million extension in March. Stingley was drafted third total in 2022, one spot forward of Gardner.

Gardner posted to X, “this solely the start,” and thanked his brother, Allante Gardner, and AJ Vaynerchuk, who signify him, and the Jets and their followers.

Sauce Gardner had two years remaining on his rookie contract, together with his fifth-year choice in 2026 ($20.2 million assured).

The Jets have now secured two foundational gamers by means of 2030, taking a proactive strategy seldom seen with previous stars within the franchise’s historical past. Gardner and Wilson turned the primary two former first-round picks below the NFL’s present monetary system, which went into impact in 2011, to obtain extensions of their first 12 months of eligibility (after three years).

Gardner turns into the primary Jets participant since linebacker C.J. Mosley to be the very best paid within the league at his respective place. In 2019, Mosley signed a five-year, $85 million contract as a free agent. His $17 million-a-year common held the highest spot amongst off-ball linebackers for 4 months.

Gardner, 24, made it clear on the current minicamp that he wished to stay with the Jets long run.

“I wish to change the group,” he mentioned. “I wish to be part of altering the group.”

The Jets’ new regime, headed by coach Aaron Glenn and common supervisor Darren Mougey, said from the outset that its objective was to maintain the highest younger gamers, one thing pasts regimes have didn’t do.

Gardner made a direct affect, capturing NFL Defensive Rookie of the Yr honors in 2022. He is the one cornerback because the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to be named first-team All-Professional in every of his first two seasons. Solely two different defensive gamers have pulled that off: former New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor and Dallas Cowboys cross rusher Micah Parsons.

As a rookie, Gardner ranked No. 2 amongst cornerbacks in EPA (Anticipated Factors Added)/per goal as the closest defender (minimal: 400 protection snaps), per Subsequent Gen Stats. He slipped to thirteenth in 2023 and forty seventh in 2024.