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New York Jets News

Especially in free agency, not everything that you see is real. Agent talk will run rampant, and it’s important to separate what’s real and what’s not exactly what it looks like.

First, yes, the New York Jets should have extended Sauce Gardner already, and doing it after the Houston Texans paid Derek Stingley Jr. is bad for the franchise. But it doesn’t mean it’s not possible to lock Gardner up for the long-term under a team-friendly structure.

What’s real about Stingley’s deal

When a player signs an extension, agents inform what’s called “new money.” It’s a part of the contract in terms of salaries and years that didn’t exist. So Stingley’s extension is a three-year, $90 million contract in this sense, and his average would be $30 million per season.

However, this is an addition to what Stingley already had. He was slated to make $5.431 million in 2025 and $17.595 million in 2026 via the fifth-year option.

Combining everything, it’s actually a five-year, $113 million contract. The real average, what the Texans will truly have to account for, is $22.6 million per year. It sounds much more palatable, doesn’t it?

That’s what will happen with Gardner as well.

The real issue and what’s good for the Jets

As aforementioned, the Jets lost a big opportunity to sign Gardner before, and now it will probably be more expensive than it should.

Gardner has a slightly lower salary in 2025 ($5.266 million), but a higher fifth-year option ($20.186 million) because he went to multiple Pro Bowls throughout his NFL career. Stingley was certainly better in 2024, but Sauce was better in their first three seasons.

That means it’s hard to avoid the fact that the player who comes later will get a bigger contract. So let’s say the Jets give Sauce a three-year, $93 million extension.

It would elevate the cornerback market to $31 million per season, but that’s not exactly what the Jets would account for.

Considering the final year of his rookie deal and the fifth-year option, plus the extension, Gardner would play under a five-year, $118 million contract. It’s $23.6 million per season.

Yes, it’s a lot of money and cornerback is a volatile position. But the Jets are starting a new era, and paying great, young players is the first step. The same will apply to wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

The more they wait, the more expensive it will get.