Jets To Exercise Fifth-Year Options On Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson
Plenty of attention remains focused on the draft at this point, but the deadline for fifth-year option decisions is looming as well. When speaking to the media on Monday, Jets general manager Darren Mougey made it clear all three of the team’s first-rounders from 2022 will remain in place for at least two more years. 
Mougey said the Jets will pick up the fifth-year option on cornerback Sauce Gardner, receiver Garrett Wilson and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson. In all three cases, the news comes as no surprise. Johnson’s Achilles tear did not create an expectation New York would choose to put him on track for free agency next spring; Gardner and Wilson, meanwhile, profile as logical extension candidates.
As a two-time Pro Bowler, Gardner qualifies for the most lucrative tier regarding his 2026 option year. The No. 4 pick in 2022 will therefore earn $21.19MM on the option. Plenty of time still exists for a long-term extension to be worked out, of course, and in that case Gardner would be in line for much higher earnings. The top of the cornerback market recently reached $30MM in annual compensation thanks to Derek Stingley Jr.‘s Texans extension.
Gardner earned first-team All-Pro honors during each of his first two campaigns, helping his case to become the league’s highest earner at the CB spot when he first became eligible for a second contract. The 24-year-old was unable to match his success in 2024, but with 40 career pass breakups and a better track record with respect to availability than Stingley, he has a strong case to reset the position’s market. Gardner has publicly expressed a desire to remain in New York for the long term.
Wilson’s future seemed less certain at times last season, with the acquisition of Davante Adams affecting his role in the Jets’ passing attack. Neither Adams nor Aaron Rodgers are in the fold anymore, though, and Wilson will be reunited with former college teammate Justin Fields in 2025. It remains to be seen how effective that tandem will be, but Wilson has managed at least 1,042 yards in each of his first three seasons despite underwhelming QB play for the Jets during that span.
The receiver market has surged in recent years, and Ja’Marr Chase now leads the way at $40.25MM per season. Wilson, 24, would be hard-pressed to reach that figure on an extension, but he could command a deal worth much more than the $16.82MM he is scheduled to earn in 2026. Once the draft has concluded, extension talks with Gardner and Wilson (along with offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker) will begin.
Johnson handled a rotational role along the edge as a rookie, but he took on a much larger workload in 2023 and took a step forward with 7.5 sacks. His performance that year resulted in a Pro Bowl nod and created high expectations for the 2024 campaign. Johnson was limited to just a pair of games as a result of his injury, though, and it would come as no surprise if the Jets waited until he returned to action to explore a long-term arrangement. For now, the Florida State product is on track to collect $13.41MM in 2026.
Teams have until May 1 to decide on fifth-year options. It will take until that date for clarity to emerge one way or the other in many cases, but with respect to the Jets questions related to the short-term futures of the Gardner-Wilson-Johnson trio can now be put to rest.
Extensions For Jets’ 2022 First-Rounders Not Imminent; Team Unlikely To Explore Early Extension For RB Breece Hall
There are myriad reasons why the Jets have failed to post an above-.500 record since 2015, but the top of their 2022 draft class is not one of them. CB Sauce Gardner (No. 4 overall pick in 2022), WR Garrett Wilson (No. 10), and DE Jermaine Johnson (No. 26) form a talented young foundation that could help lead the club back to playoff contention, and that trio is now extension-eligible for the first time.
Gardner, 24, took a step back last year after earning First Team All-Pro acclaim in each of his first two pro seasons. Still, a player who possesses his youth and talent and who plays a premium position can command a massive second contract, and the Cincinnati product has made clear his desire to sign such a contract with the Jets.
“I want to be part of this for a long time,“ Gardner said back in January. “I want to be part of the change in this organization.“
Wilson, also 24, seemed a bit more reticent about his future with New York, at least partially because of perceived tension with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and competition for targets with 2024 deadline acquisition Davante Adams. However, with the club having released both of the former Packers standouts, it is believed Wilson is more amenable to a long-term relationship with Gang Green (which could be especially true now that he has been reunited with college teammate Justin Fields; ESPN’s Rich Cimini details the close relationship the former Buckeyes enjoy).
Johnson, 26, was limited to just two games in 2024 due to an Achilles tear, though he totaled 7.5 sacks, 25 pressures, and a forced fumble in 2023, his first season as a full-time starter. The Jets are expected to exercise his fifth-year option for 2026, and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic (subscription required) confirms that the team plans to exercise the option for all three of its 2022 first-rounders (picking up the Gardner and Wilson options is a particularly easy call for new GM Darren Mougey to make).
Naturally, the players themselves want to land lucrative extensions sooner rather than later, while the Jets may not feel as pressured since they can keep all three under club control through 2026 via the fifth-year option and can put the franchise tag on one of them for the 2027 season. On the other hand, as Connor Hughes of SNY.tv observes, locking up a player when they are first eligible sends a positive message to the player and the team as a whole, and it can get a second contract out of the way before markets for certain positions soar even higher.
Hughes believes Mougey is more amenable than his predecessor, Joe Douglas, to entertain an early extension. Douglas was not necessarily adverse to the idea; in order for him to green-light such a deal, though, he wanted certain concessions from the player (lower guarantees, longer contract term, etc.). Mougey may not be as demanding in that regard.
That could spell good news for the Gardner/Wilson/Johnson triumvirate. But Hughes – in a piece that was published before free agency got underway – said no extensions are imminent.
At this year’s scouting combine, in response to a question about whether he would sign off on extensions for Gardner and Wilson, Mougey said, “[t]he to-do list is to keep good young players on the team and add good players, so yeah” (via Cimini).
Cimini observes that Mougey did not set a concrete date for talks to commence, and he also points out that cornerbacks and wide receivers have not generally received new deals prior to their fourth NFL season. That said, recent contracts authorized for players like Patrick Surtain II, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith could indicate the league is changing its modus operandi.
According to Hughes, the negotiations for Gardner are expected to be straightforward. Despite not earning any Pro Bowl or All-Pro accolades for his 2024 work, there is no doubt he will reset the CB market. Wilson will be trickier, because although he is a terrific player, it could be difficult to pinpoint exactly where he falls in the league’s WR hierarchy (and of course he could value himself differently than the Jets do).
None of the writers cited above mention Johnson’s name in connection with an extension in the near future. His Achilles injury certainly muddies the waters a bit, and player and team may prefer to wait to see how he rebounds before engaging in substantive contract talks.
Similarly, Rosenblatt says it is unlikely the Jets pursue an early extension for running back Breece Hall (who, as a 2022 second-rounder, is is not subject to a fifth-year option and is therefore eligible for free agency in 2026). Hall was electric in his rookie season, turning 80 carries into 463 yards (5.8 YPC) and four rushing TDs. ACL and meniscus tears ended that promising showing early, and while he rebounded to play a full 17-game slate in 2023, he was not quite as explosive (though his 4.5 YPC average was still strong).
His efficiency dipped again in 2024, as he posted a 4.2 YPC rate over 209 carries. He continues to be a valuable receiving weapon, as he has notched 133 receptions for 1,074 yards and seven receiving scores over the past two seasons, but the dynamo that took the league by (an admittedly brief) storm in 2022 has not resurfaced.
Two 2024 draftees, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, are under contract through 2027 and could represent the Jets’ long-term future at the RB position.
Jets Expected To Exercise Jermaine Johnson’s Fifth-Year Option
The first round of the 2022 draft yielded a trio of impact players for the Jets. Cornerback Sauce Gardner and receiver Garrett Wilson have enjoyed strong starts to their careers, and extensions with one or both could be worked out as early as this offseason. 
Regardless of when a long-term pact is signed on each of those fronts, New York can be expected to exercise Gardner and Wilson’s respective fifth-year options covering the 2026 season. The team will also have to make the same decision as it pertains to edge rusher Jermaine Johnson. The Jets’ new regime has not stated its intention yet, but Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports it is likely Johnson’s option will indeed be picked up this spring (subscription required).
Johnson will be classified as a linebacker for the purposes of his fifth-year option, and he lands in the fourth tier of compensation based on his playing time to date. As a result, his 2026 salary will be $13.41MM if his option is exercised. New York will have until May 2 to decide on Johnson’s situation (and that of the team’s other 2022 Day 1 selections).
After handling rotational duties along the edge as a rookie, Johnson took on a full-time starting role in 2023. The Florida State product totaled 7.5 sacks, 25 pressures and a forced fumble while confirming his status as a key defensive figure over the short- and long-term future. Expectations were high for a strong follow-up campaign, but Johnson was limited to only a pair of games in 2024 due to an Achilles tear.
The injury could give new general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn pause when contemplating the Johnson situation, but declining his option would leave the door open to a free agent departure next spring. The Jets traded away John Franklin-Myers at the draft last season, and Haason Reddick will no doubt be playing elsewhere in 2025 given the way his New York tenure played out. Johnson, 26, should thus be in line to again handle a key pass-rushing role once healthy and he could easily find himself in the team’s long-term plans.
2023 first-rounder Will McDonald took a major step forward in production this past campaign, notching 10.5 sacks. He will be counted on to remain an integral member of the Jets’ front seven, and the same will be true for Johnson provided his option is picked up. Just like Gardner and Wilson, of course, a multi-year extension can be agreed to with the latter at any time.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/24
Thursday’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Waived: RB Blake Watson
- Elevated: LB Kwon Alexander, G Calvin Throckmorton
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: WR Jermaine Johnson
- Promoted: S Johnathan Abram, WR Equanimeous St. Brown
New York Jets
- Waived: TE Brenden Bates
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Designated for return from IR: WR Rakim Jarrett
Watson could be claimed off waivers by any teams seeking backfield depth. If that does not take place, though, he will become a free agent. Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette reports a mutual interest exists for team and player to reunite via a practice squad deal provided it is possible. Watson, an undrafted rookie, has made only one appearance to date so he should have a strong chance of passing through waivers unclaimed.
Jets Notes: Reddick, Carter, Johnson
Three weeks into the season, Haason Reddick has still not reported to the Jets. Team and player remain at a stalemate with no signs of a resolution being imminent.
Acquired via trade this offseason, Reddick received at least one offer for a new deal from New York (albeit one which was below market value). He attended an introductory press conference on April 1 but has not been with the team since. The 30-year-old has angled for an extension while the Jets have been amenable to a restructure including incentives for 2024, the final year of his contract. Before Reddick reports, however, no agreement will be reached.
As the two-time Pro Bowler’s financial penalties continue to accumulate, it remains to be seen how the Jets will proceed. Jermaine Johnson‘s Achilles tear has left the team shorthanded along the edge, although that injury has not produced movement on the Reddick front. As a result, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes a trade sending the sack artist elsewhere remains a likelier outcome than an agreement allowing him to play out his deal in New York. Reddick requested a move last month, but GM Joe Douglas quickly rejected it.
Here are some other Jets-related notes:
- Slot corner Michael Carter II has been dealing with an ankle injury, and a full recovery does not appear to be in store any time soon. The 25-year-old’s ailment will be a season-long issue, head coach Robert Saleh said (via Graziano’s colleague Rich Cimini). Carter could find himself in and out of the lineup during games as a result, although he logged a season-high 73% snap share in Week 3. The former fifth-rounder landed a three-year, $30.75MM extension earlier this month.
- Johnson faces a long rehab process due to his aforementioned Achilles tear. Fortunately, his surgery was a success, as the 25-year-old confirmed on social media. Johnson will miss the remainder of the 2024 campaign, and he will probably be on the mend for much of the subsequent offseason as well. Expectations were high for the Florida State product after his Pro Bowl year in 2023, but attention will now turn to his progress in returning to full health.
- On another injury note, quarterback Aaron Rodgers noted in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer that he was not able to run late last season. The four-time MVP attempted to recover from his own Achilles tear in time for the end of his debut New York campaign, but that effort ended when it became clear the Jets would not make the playoffs. Rodgers’ mobility will remain a question given his age (41 in December), but his play so far – in particular during Thursday’s win over the Patriots – has quelled concerns from a health standpoint.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/19/24
Here are Thursday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed to active roster: OLB Tarron Jackson
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: LB Nathaniel Watson
New England Patriots
- Elevated: LB Joe Giles-Harris
- Placed on reserve/left squad: OT Chukwuma Okorafor
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: EDGE Jermaine Johnson (story)
- Signed from practice squad: Jalyn Holmes
The Patriots sustained a blow to their offensive line depth when Okorafor left the team after being benched after just 12 snaps in Week 1. New England received a five-day roster exemption for Okorafor’s initial absence but was forced to move the offensive tackle to the reserve/left team list when the exemption expired. He is now ineligible to return this season.
Watson was drafted by the Browns in the sixth round of the 2024 draft and made Cleveland’s initial 53-man roster. He appeared in the team’s first two regular-season games, playing 33 snaps on special teams.
Jets’ Jermaine Johnson Suffers Achilles Tear
SEPTEMBER 16: Johnson himself confirmed on Monday his injury is indeed an Achilles tear (video link). The news guarantees he will miss the remainder of the campaign and sets him up for a lengthy rehab process. It will be interesting to see how the Jets proceed moving forward at the defensive end spot with Johnson officially out of the picture for 2024.
SETPTEMBER 15: The Jets picked up their first win of the season on Sunday, but the team’s defense appears to have suffered a major blow. Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson was carted off the field midway through the contest, and he was quickly ruled out with an Achilles injury.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Johnson is feared to have suffered a tear. Further testing will be required to confirm, but there is a very strong possibility he is facing a season-ending absence. That would leave New York without a key starter along the edge while no resolution appears to be in sight with respect to Haason Reddick‘s holdout.
Johnson logged a rotational role during his rookie campaign, one in which he recorded 2.5 sacks. Last season brought about a major increase in playing time, and the former first-rounder responded with a notable step forward. Johnson racked up 7.5 sacks and 25 pressures while serving as a key member of the team’s edge rush in particular and defense as a whole. The 25-year-old earned a Pro Bowl nod, and expectations were high for another strong campaign in 2024.
Instead, attention will now turn to a lengthy recovery process in the event an Achilles tear is indeed confirmed. New York lost Bryce Huff in free agency this offseason, one in which Reddick was acquired via trade from Philadelphia. The latter has been one of the league’s most productive edge rushers in recent years, reaching double-digit sacks every season since 2020. The Jets viewed Reddick as more of a three-down option than Huff, but he has remained absent from the team amidst a contract saga which has not seen traction gained toward a resolution.
Reddick has not reported to the team, racking up millions in fines and giving up nearly $800K in game checks for two weeks in a row. Jets general manager Joe Douglas – who immediately rejected Reddick’s August trade request – has insisted negotiations on a restructured 2024 pact or an extension will not take place until the pending free agent reports.
In his absence, plenty was counted on in Johnson’s case, so a long-term injury coupled with Reddick remaining out of the picture would represent a considerable setback for New York’s defense. The team invested a first-round pick last year with Will McDonald, although the Iowa State product played sparingly on defense as a rookie. His three sacks offered a glimpse of his potential, and Johnson being sidelined will open the door to a notable uptick in playing time.
Johnson is under contract through 2025, but the team will have a decision to make on his 2026 fifth-year option this spring. The Florida State alum seemed to be on track for that decision to be an easy one, but today’s injury is set to keep him off the field for the remainder of this season. Attention will increasingly turn to Reddick’s situation given how the Jets will be shorthanded along the edge, and McDonald in particular will be leaned on to take a step in Year 2.
New York has nearly $18MM in cap space, so finances will not be an issue if an outside addition is targeted. The free agent pool is not particularly deep, though, and several weeks will likely elapse before potential sellers emerged ahead of the trade deadline which the Jets could target for a short-term addition.
Latest On Jets’ Efforts To Move Mecole Hardman, Carl Lawson
While defense has powered the Jets to their 3-3 place, the team has expendable veterans on offense it is trying to unload. Dalvin Cook and Mecole Hardman have come up as pieces the Jets are OK with moving, though traction on potential trades has proven elusive.
Cook has not been effective as a Jet, and Breece Hall has rocketed back to form after an October 2022 ACL tear. Cook remains in limbo, operating as an expensive backup, but Hardman does not have a role months after signing a one-year, $4MM deal. The Jets are aiming to trade Hardman, with a release also in the cards. This might come down to the wire, with the trade deadline still nearly two weeks away.
So far, Hardman is not generating much interest as a trade chip, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan writes. Prior to Hardman becoming a Jet in March, he drew interest from the Browns, Raiders, Lions and Vikings. Although Hardman is only attached to a $1.1MM salary — of which an acquiring team would be responsible for barely half, with the season more than a third complete — his minimal production has likely led to the tepid market.
A 2019 second-round pick, Hardman totaled at least 530 receiving yards for the Chiefs each year from 2019-21. A core muscle injury sidelined Hardman for much of his contract year, leading to the $4MM payment this offseason. While the Georgia-produced speedster did not quite live up to expectations in Kansas City, he has barely played in New York. Hardman has one catch for six yards, playing behind Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb in an offense limited by Zach Wilson being needed to replace an injured Aaron Rodgers.
Due to the void years attached to Hardman’s contract for cap purposes, it would cost the Jets around $3MM to cut him. The ex-Chiefs gadget talent does reside as notable insurance, but his fifth season has skidded off track. The same can be said for Carl Lawson‘s seventh season. The Jets have gone from making Lawson a $15MM-per-year player in 2021 to demoting him to healthy-scratch status at points this season. Caplan confirms the Jets are trying to trade Lawson.
Although Lawson returned from the Achilles tear that ended his 2021 season before it began, the former Bengals cog has seen younger players surpass him on the Jets’ depth chart. The team used first-round picks on Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald in consecutive years, and Caplan adds Johnson’s early-offseason form prompted the Jets to ask Lawson for a pay cut. The former third-rounder accepted in May, but he has played only 73 defensive snaps this season. Johnson, John Franklin-Myers and Bryce Huff serve as Gang Green’s top edge rushers. Even as McDonald has not yet become a regular (58 snaps), 2022 fourth-rounder Micheal Clemons (136) has been called upon more often than Lawson.
Lawson, 28, is tied to a $6MM base salary. Due to including four void years in Lawson’s restructure, the Jets would eat more than $6MM by cutting Lawson this year. If/once Lawson does not re-sign in 2024, the Jets will be hit with a $6MM dead-money payment — should the veteran edge player remain on the team to finish this season. After notching seven sacks and 24 QB hits in 2022, Lawson is at 0-0 in those categories through six games. A backup in his rookie season, Johnson has two sacks and three pass deflections thus far in Year 2.
Formerly a sought-after free agent after the Bengals passed on franchise-tagging him, Lawson is submitting a contract-year no-show. He did produce impact years (from a pressure standpoint) in Cincinnati and previously moved the needle in New York. Lawson’s Achilles tear two summers ago led to the Jets cratering defensively in Robert Saleh‘s debut, which concluded with a last-place defense. Lawson helped the team make major strides last season, but the team is deep enough it no longer needs him. Injuries can change the equations for both Hardman and Lawson, but it will also be interesting to see if the Jets accept a low-end trade offer for either. In Lawson’s case, that would likely mean eating some of his salary — as the Broncos recently did to facilitate a Randy Gregory trade.
AFC East Notes: Bills, White, Moss, Patriots, Jets
The Bills are hoping Tre’Davious White can avoid a stint on the PUP list to begin the regular season. While speaking to reporters, GM Brandon Beane said the team is going to “run out the clock” when it comes to White’s roster spot in the hope that he’ll progress over the next week.
“We don’t have the final answer,” Beane said (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic on Twitter). “I can’t sit here and say, ‘He’s going to be here on this day.'”
The cornerback tore his ACL last November, and while reports have indicated that he’s progressing well in his return to the field, it’s still uncertain if he’ll be ready to go for Week 1. White landed on the PUP to start training camp, but the team will have to make an important decision on him as they reduce their roster to 53 players. If White is placed on PUP to begin the regular season, he’ll miss Buffalo’s first four games.
The former first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Bills, earning All-Pro nods in both 2019 and 2020. In 11 games last season, White collected 41 tackles, six passes defended, and one interception.
More notes out of the AFC East…
- To enter Bills camp, there was an expectation that free agent acquisition Jamison Crowder would battle with holdover Isaiah McKenzie for the starting slot receiver role. As Buscaglia writes, the team has given every indication that McKenzie has won that position battle, and Crowder’s training camp struggles may have put him on the roster bubble. Despite his assessment, Buscaglia later opined that the veteran’s experience will ultimately earn him a spot on the 53-man roster.
- Elsewhere on offense, it sounds like the Bills are ready to roll with a RB committee. Buscaglia writes that both Devin Singletary and rookie James Cook could end up seeing extensive work outside of the red zone, while Zack Moss is expected to serve as the team’s goal-line running back. Moss has gotten an extensive look during the preseason, and while the writer hints that the coaching staff could be showcasing him for a trade, he also acknowledged that the team has been happy with the RB’s performance during training camp and preseason.
- Before rookie wideout Tyquan Thornton went down with a shoulder injury, the Patriots were fielding offers on their receivers, according to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus. However, it now “seems unlikely” that the Patriots would subtract from the grouping of Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, and Nelson Agholor. Meanwhile, the trio of Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Kristian Wilkerson, and Tre Nixon are competing for limited roster spots, while Ty Montgomery‘s best chance of making the roster may be as a running back.
- While cornerback Sauce Gardner and wideout Garrett Wilson are expected to play important roles for the Jets next season, their other first-round pick may see more of a complementary role. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes that Carl Lawson, Quinnen Williams, Sheldon Rankins, and John Franklin-Myers are expected to start along the defensive line, meaning Jermaine Johnson will have to compete with Jacob Martin for the role of “situational rusher.” “However I can help the team win is honestly how I look at it,” Johnson said. “I practice like I’m a [undrafted] free agent anyway, so I don’t really care. It’s like I’m fighting for my life. That’s how I am, what I believe and how I practice — and it just lines up perfectly with what Coach Saleh is all about: Practicing hard, balls to the wall, giving 110 percent not only for yourself but for the team.”
Jets Sign Round 1 DE Jermaine Johnson
The Jets are doing the heavy lifting in their rookie deals first. After agreeing to terms with No. 4 overall pick Sauce Gardner, the Jets have signed the third of their first-rounders — Jermaine Johnson — to his four-year rookie contract.
Johnson, who can be controlled through 2026 via the fifth-year option, will be tied to a fully guaranteed deal. Projected to go off the board earlier than he did, at No. 26, the Florida State product will be tasked with boosting a Jets edge rush that has been one of the NFL’s least effective position groups over the past decade and change.
[RELATED: Jets, Gardner Agree To Rookie-Deal Terms]
Famously lacking an impact edge presence since the 2006 John Abraham trade, the Jets are now positioned to have Johnson and Carl Lawson. The latter is coming off a season-nullifying Achilles tear. He will now team with one of this draft’s best defensive end prospects.
Transferring from Georgia to Florida State last year, Johnson registered a career-high 11.5 sacks to go along with 17.5 tackles for loss last season. ESPN ranked Johnson as the No. 14 overall prospect, but he slid to the mid-20s, opening the door for the Jets to trade back into Round 1 for him. The Jets sent the Titans second-, third- and fifth-round picks to move up for Johnson, who will join Gardner in attempting to help a defense that ranked 32nd in both points and yardage in 2021.