The New York Jets have officially agreed to a historic four-year contract extension with star defensive back Sauce Gardner. The deal will make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL and is reportedly worth $120.4 million. As a result, this once again resets the cornerback market. Jaycee Horn of the Carolina Panthers and Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans also received new deals this offseason. Gardner is now committed to the Jets for the next six seasons and will be owed $60 million guaranteed. New York knows they have a premier cornerback in their secondary. Sauce Gardner is clearly a part of their long-term plans as they try to regain relevance in the AFC East and look toward a new era.
New York Jets Make Sauce Gardner Highest-Paid Cornerback in the NFL
Sauce Gardner’s Impact
Many NFL peers put Sauce Gardner in the same tier as Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The start of Gardner’s career was extremely promising. However, he had a bit of a down season last year by his standards. Statistically, it was the worst season of his three-year career. He logged one interception, nine passes defended, and only 49 combined tackles. Some of that could be attributed to multiple distractions and turnover occurring throughout the season.
Sauce Gardner is still the same cornerback who allowed the fewest yards per target (4.6) and the second-lowest completion percentage (46.0 percent) through the first two seasons of his career. One should not forget that the Jets brought in Aaron Glenn as their new head coach. A coach will have a new-look defense. This could lead to a revitalized campaign for the two-time Pro Bowl defensive back. As a result, NFL fans should expect Sauce Gardner to have a bounce-back year.
What Does This Mean for the New York Jets Going Forward?
The New York Jets are certainly going to be a team to watch going into the new season. With Sauce Gardner’s extension coming a day after Garrett Wilson’s, the team is demonstrating a commitment to building around their young stars. The two recent extensions signal that both Wilson and Gardner will be franchise cornerstones.
Moreover, the Jets extending Sauce Gardner now ensures that the organization will have one of the best cornerbacks in the game to lead their secondary for the foreseeable future. Not to mention, the market for this skill position will continue to rise. While some fans may argue this was an overpay and others will say this is fair compensation, the New York Jets are at least making their most important players a priority this offseason.
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