The New York Jets locked in contract extensions for cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson last week, but Gardner didn’t sign his new deal immediately. Instead, Gardner delayed inking the offer — not as a negotiation tactic, but in the spirit of being a good teammate.
Gardner, 24, held off on signing his massive contract extension so as not to shift the focus from Wilson, who locked up a four-year, $130 million deal with the team.
“I told my team, ‘We’re not agreeing to it today.’ I wanted Garrett to have his day — his full day to himself to feel good and spend time with his family,” Gardner told reporters on Tuesday.
Gardner finalized his deal the next day. The four-year, $120.4 million extension, which includes a $85.653 million guarantee, made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL in terms of average annual value.
Gardner and Wilson have developed into two of New York’s most crucial players and bright spots in the league. Gardner is one of only three defensive players in NFL history to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons. He joins rarefied air alongside Lawrence Taylor and Micah Parsons.
Jets make Sauce Gardner highest-paid cornerback in NFL history with $120.4 million extension, per report
Jordan Dajani
Wilson is in the fifth wide receiver in NFL history to record 80-plus receptions and 1,000-plus receiving yards in his first each of his first three seasons.
Their contract extensions start after the 2026 season and commit Gardner and Wilson to the Jets at least through the 2030 season.
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