The New York Jets have plenty of urgent matters on their plate. The team is without a head coach and general manager, having fired both Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas before the end of the season. Complicating those choices is quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’s a candidate to cut, retire, or be welcomed back, depending on the philosophy of the incoming regime.
However, less-pressing predicaments are on their way, too, and New York would be best served by addressing them early, rather than letting them linger and be shaped by the upcoming season.
After finishing the third year of their careers, 2022 first-round picks are now eligible for contract extensions. For the Jets, that includes corner Sauce Gardner, receiver Garrett Wilson, and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson.
As trade rumors swirl around Wilson and Johnson recovers from his Achilles tear, it would behoove the Jets to get a long-term deal done with Gardner.
On Monday, he spoke about that potential extension.
“I’m just gonna let my agent handle it,” Gardner said. “Obviously, I want to be a part of this for a long time. I want to be a reason, a part of the change in this organization. If I were to go somewhere else, and it were to change, I’d be a hater. I’d probably be the No. 1 hater … So I want to be part of this for a long time. I want to be one of the reasons.”
The New York faithful shouldn’t be expecting a home-town discount, but it’s encouraging that Gardner isn’t pushing his way out amidst the perpetual pandemonium of Jets football. The floor for his deal is likely what Denver Broncos corner Pat Surtain II got – four years and $96 million, with $40 million guaranteed.
Gardner is fresh off the worst season of his career, but that’s far from an indictment of his talents. He still has two All-Pro selections to his name, and his worst season is better than most corner’s best. As far as defensive cornerstones go, it’s hard to find many as impressive as Gardner.
That’s worth extending nearly every time, even if it’s going to cost a pretty penny.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich – speaking instead of the absent owner Woody Johnson – praised Gardner’s commitment to the franchise.
“Your best players have to be your best people, and they have to be all-in,” Ulbrich said. “That’s how you create a championship team. For him to say that is powerful. You’ve got to get more and more people buying into that same mentality of being all-in, because without it, you have no chance.”
New York has plenty of time to get Gardner to put pen to paper. But the next good Jets team looks much farther away without its superstar corner on the boundary.
Extending Gardner should remain a top priority for whoever is named general manager this offseason.
