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Sauce Gardner

Jets CB Sauce Gardner Encouraged By Extension Talks

June 12th, 2025 at 1:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Negotiations on a long-term extension with Garrett Wilson have begun. The Jets have another monster deal looming with respect to Sauce Gardner, and talks on that front have apparently been positive so far.

Both 2022 first-rounders are now eligible for an extension at any time. As expected, the Jets’ new regime picked up Wilson and Gardner’s fifth-year options, tying them to the team through 2026 by doing so. Of course, it would come as no surprise if one or both were to have a long-term pact in hand well before their rookie deals expire.

Gardner attended this week’s minicamp against the backdrop of extension talks taking place, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. That is in line with most players around the league, of course, but like every year 2025 has seen some angling for a new deal remain away from their teams. Gardner being present is of course a positive sign regarding the nature of contract negotiations.

“I just wanted to show my teammates, my coaches how much I want to win,” the former Defensive Player of the Year said when speaking to the media on Thursday (via Russini’s colleague Zack Rosenblatt). “I want to be part of change in the organization.”

Gardner added he feels “pretty good” about the current state of extension talks (h/t Rosenblatt). As things stand, the two-time All-Pro is due $20.19MM in 2026. The top of the corner market now sits at $30MM annually, though, and that represents a logical benchmark for negotiations in this case. Gardner, 24, racked up 31 pass deflections across his first two seasons in the league. He experienced a drop in production last year, but given his age and pedigree it would come as no surprise if he found himself as the league’s top-paid corner in the relatively near future.

Wilson is a clear priority for general manager Darren Mougey, head coach Aaron Glenn and Co. The same is not necessarily true of running back Breece Hall, although he has been assured of remaining in New York for 2025. Gardner will again play a key role in the team’s performance this year and beyond, and the Jets’ cap outlook will of course be greatly affected by any long-term agreement which is reached. Based on his comments, progress has been made on that front.

Extension Talks Between Jets, WR Garrett Wilson Underway; CB Sauce Gardner Aiming For Record-Setting Deal

June 1st, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Rory Parks

An April report indicated the Jets would explore extensions for 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson (along with 2021 first-round choice Alijah Vera-Tucker) after the 2025 draft. Now that the draft is over, it is fair to expect those talks to get underway.

As for Wilson, ESPN’s Rich Cimini says negotiations are in the early stages, and he anticipates the discussions will become more involved in training camp. Prior reports noted it may be difficult for the parties to agree on the appropriate compensation for the wide receiver, because while he has put up strong numbers (three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons), his surface-level statistics would not seem to make him a candidate for a top-of-the-market accord.

On the other hand, Wilson’s talent is undeniable, and he has managed his production with poor-to-mediocre quarterback play. As such, Cimini believes the Ohio State product will be looking for a $30MM/year deal, which would effectively place him in a four-way tie with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Tyreek Hill, and Brandon Aiyuk for sixth place on the WR market (the average annual value on St. Brown’s contract is $30.0025MM). 

Perceived tension with former QB Aaron Rodgers and a role impacted by 2024 trade acquisition Davante Adams seemed to put Wilson’s New York future in doubt not too long ago. However, Rodgers and Adams are gone, and Wilson recently expressed his desire to remain with the Jets for the rest of his career.

Gardner has echoed those sentiments, and Cimini confirms the two-time First Team All-Pro cornerback is, like his 2022 draftmate, looking to hit or exceed the $30MM/year threshold. In the case of the CB market, though, that AAV would make Gardner the highest-paid player at his position.

Cimini does not indicate whether Gardner negotiations have begun in earnest, but previous reports suggested talks with the 24-year-old defender are not expected to be as challenging as those with Wilson. Derek Stingley Jr. ’s three-year, $90MM pact with the Texans (featuring roughly $48MM in full guarantees) presently tops the cornerback hierarchy, and despite a regression last season, player and team understand Gardner will command at least that much (Cimini predictably confirms Gardner is using Stingley’s deal as his benchmark in extension discussions).

The Jets made the easy decision to exercise the fifth-year options for both players, and the fact that Gardner has earned two Pro Bowl berths in his young career placed him in the top bracket for such options. The transaction puts him in line for a fully-guaranteed $20.19MM salary in 2026, though it would not be surprising to see a record-setting contract in place well before then (especially given the importance of a true CB1 in new head coach Aaron Glenn’s man-heavy scheme). Wilson, meanwhile, has locked in a $16.82MM salary for 2025.

As Cimini observes, the Jets will be near the top of the league in cap space on June 2, when Rodgers and C.J. Mosley – both released with post-June 1 designations earlier this offseason – officially come off the books. Those moves will free up $22.8MM of room, so there will be plenty of financial flexibility to get deals done with Gardner and Wilson (and perhaps Vera-Tucker as well).

2026 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

May 1st, 2025 at 11:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 1 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2022 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
  • Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th-highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

We covered how last year’s Pro Bowl invites affected the 2022 first-round class. With the deadline looming, we will use the space below to track all the 2026 option decisions from around the league:

  1. DE/OLB Travon Walker, Jaguars ($14.75MM): Exercised
  2. DE/OLB Aidan Hutchinson, Lions ($19.87MM): Exercised
  3. CB Derek Stingley Jr., Texans ($17.6MM): Extended through 2029
  4. CB Sauce Gardner, Jets ($20.19MM): Exercised
  5. OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, Giants ($14.75MM): Exercised
  6. T Ikem Ekwonu, Panthers ($17.56MM): Exercised
  7. T Evan Neal, Giants ($16.69MM): Declined
  8. WR Drake London, Falcons ($16.82MM): Exercised
  9. T Charles Cross, Seahawks ($17.56MM): Exercised
  10. WR Garrett Wilson, Jets ($16.82MM): Exercised
  11. WR Chris Olave, Saints ($15.49MM): Exercised
  12. WR Jameson Williams, Lions ($15.49MM): Exercised
  13. DT Jordan Davis, Eagles ($12.94MM): Exercised
  14. S Kyle Hamilton, Ravens ($18.6MM): Exercised
  15. G Kenyon Green, Eagles* ($16.69MM): Declined
  16. WR Jahan Dotson, Eagles** ($16.82MM): Declined
  17. G Zion Johnson, Chargers ($17.56MM): Declined
  18. WR Treylon Burks, Titans ($15.49MM): Declined
  19. T Trevor Penning, Saints ($16.69MM): Declined
  20. QB Kenny Pickett, Browns*** ($22.12MM): Declined
  21. CB Trent McDuffie, Chiefs ($17.6MM): Exercised
  22. LB Quay Walker, Packers ($14.75MM): Declined
  23. CB Kaiir Elam, Cowboys**** ($12.68MM): Declined
  24. G Tyler Smith, Cowboys ($20.99MM): Exercised
  25. C Tyler Linderbaum, Ravens ($20.99MM): Declined
  26. DE Jermaine Johnson, Jets ($13.92MM): Exercised
  27. LB Devin Lloyd, Jaguars ($14.75MM): Exercised
  28. DT Devonte Wyatt, Packers ($12.94MM): Exercised
  29. G Cole Strange, Patriots ($16.69MM): Declined
  30. DE George Karlaftis, Chiefs ($15.12MM): Exercised
  31. DB Dax Hill, Bengals ($12.68MM): Exercised
  32. S Lewis Cine, Vikings: N/A

* = traded from Texans on March 11, 2025
** = traded from Commanders on August 22, 2024
*** = traded from Eagles on March 15, 2024; traded from Steelers on March 10, 2025
**** = traded from Bills to Cowboys on March 12, 2025

Jets To Exercise Fifth-Year Options On Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson

April 21st, 2025 at 11:32am CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Jets To Explore Extensions For CB Sauce Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson, OL Alijah Vera-Tucker After Draft

April 6th, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Rory Parks

Two members of the Jets’ young core, foundational talents Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson, are extension-eligible for the first time. While new deals for the club’s top two selections of the 2022 draft are not imminent, Connor Hughes of SNY.tv expects negotiations to commence at some point after this month’s draft.

Hughes had previously reported that the Gardner talks are likely to be straightforward. Despite a bit of a regression in his third professional season, there is seemingly no concern over Gardner’s ability to regain the elite form he displayed in his first two campaigns. As such, he is going to reset the cornerback market, which is currently paced by Derek Stingley’s new deal with the Texans that features a $30MM AAV and roughly $48MM in full guarantees.

Coming to terms on a price point for Wilson could prove more difficult. Wilson has had to make do with poor to mediocre quarterback play since entering the league, so even though he has managed to record over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his three NFL seasons, he is not viewed as a player who will top the exploding WR market. Hughes spoke with a few league sources who predicted the Ohio State product would land an AAV between $25MM-$30MM whenever he puts pen to paper. 

As of the time of this writing, that would put Wilson somewhere between the 7th- and 12th-highest-paid earner at the receiver position. Tyreek Hill and Brandon Aiyuk earn $30MM per year (with Amon-Ra St. Brown barely above that threshold), while DeVonta Smith earns $25MM per year.

Sometimes forgotten in the extension rumors is offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, a 2021 first-rounder who is entering the fifth-year option season of his rookie deal and is presently on track for free agency in 2026. ESPN’s Rich Cimini says new GM Darren Mougey will also examine Vera-Tucker’s contract situation after the upcoming draft.

AVT missed significant time due to injury in 2022 and 2023 but rebounded to play 15 games last season. When he has been on the field, he has been a quality blocker and has seen action and both tackle spots and both guard spots.

That said, he only covered LT and RT as a result of injuries to other players, and last year, he lined up exclusively at RG. It sounds like he will stay there for the long haul, as Mougey says he views Vera-Tucker as a guard (via Hughes). So even though the club currently has a glaring need at right tackle, Mougey will need to address that need in some other way.

Running back Breece Hall is unlikely to be the subject of offseason extension talks, as was reported previously. The contract-year back has yet to regain the level of explosiveness he displayed in his injury-shortened rookie year, and new head coach Aaron Glenn wants to utilize an RB-by-committee approach that features Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis (via Cimini). That would stand to limit Hall’s production in his platform season, and as Cimini observes, Glenn’s comments could certainly fuel trade speculation.

Despite Hall’s inability to recapture his 2022 form, Cimini believes he would generate interest from rival teams. 

Extensions For Jets’ 2022 First-Rounders Not Imminent; Team Unlikely To Explore Early Extension For RB Breece Hall

March 16th, 2025 at 8:11am CST by Rory Parks

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.

Kyle Hamilton, Tyler Linderbaum Extensions On Ravens’ Radar

January 22nd, 2025 at 12:24pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens’ heartbreaking loss to the Bills on Sunday might have ended their playing season, but general manager Eric DeCosta is already working on the team’s offseason moves.

Pending free agents like Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Ricard, and Ar’Darius Washington may be his first priority, but he’s also preparing for long-term extension negotiations with Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum, who will be eligible for such deals this offseason. DeCosta said on Wednesday that the team is starting to work on those contracts, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

DeCosta struck gold with his two first-rounders in 2022, taking Hamilton when he fell to the 14th pick and pulling off a few trades to land Linderbaum 11 selections later. Linderbaum immediately took over Baltimore’s starting center job, while Hamilton slid into the slot and was starting by the end of the year. Both players earned PFWA All-Rookie selections before Pro Bowl nods in 2023 and 2024, placing them among the best at their positions after just three years in the NFL.

The 2022 draftees each have one year remaining on their rookie contracts, plus their fifth-year options for the 2026 season. With two Pro Bowls apiece, their fifth-year options will be at the fourth and highest tier, which is equal to the franchise tag at their positions.(Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner is the only other 2022 first-rounder to qualify for the highest fifth-year option tier.)

The Ravens will almost certainly pick up Hamilton’s fifth-year option, projected to be $19.626MM by OverTheCap, but he will be looking for a higher average annual value on a long-term extension. Antoine Winfield reset the safety market with his four-year, $84.1MM extension last offseason, but Hamilton can argue that he deserves more. He is one of the most versatile defensive players in the league with the ability to make plays against the run or pass from nearly any alignment. His first 2.5 seasons leaned into that versatility, but with Baltimore’s pass defense struggling in 2024, Hamilton moved into a more traditional deep safety role and locked down the deep parts of the field.

Linderbaum’s situation is a little more complicated. The NFL groups all offensive linemen together for franchise tag and fifth-year option calculations, so Linderbaum’s option is projected to be a whopping $25.156MM, far outpacing Creed Humphrey‘s league-leading $18MM APY. Linderbaum is an excellent pass protector who can be used as a blocking weapon in the run game, so he still deserves to be paid at the top of the center market, but the inflated option could impact negotiations. The Ravens will likely still pick it up as a show of good faith to make it clear that the young center is in their long-term plans.

Sauce Gardner Interested In Jets Extension; D.J. Reed Eyeing Free Agency

January 6th, 2025 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Like the Jets as a whole, Sauce Gardner did not live up to expectations this season. The two-time All-Pro was not selected to the Pro Bowl, as the Jets plummeted to 5-12 despite regular playoff expectations. The team still has some extension matters to navigate.

The three first-round picks the team made in 2022 — Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson — are now extension-eligible, as is starting running back Breece Hall. While the Aaron Rodgers matter may overshadow everything else (player-wise, at least) until he is off the Jets’ roster, the franchise still has a number of matters to sort out involving its rookie-contract contingent.

[RELATED: Rodgers Not Expected To Garner Heavy FA Interest]

Wilson is not believed to have seen eye-to-eye with Rodgers, and rumors about a trade request continue to surface. The Jets will have new decision-makers ticketed to deal with the Wilson matter soon — a number of GM and HC interview requests went out today — but Gardner is a more accomplished player who is also free to sign a new deal now. Unlike Wilson, Gardner has made his long-term wishes known.

“I want to be part of this for a long time,” Gardner said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I want to be part of the change in this organization.”

This comes after a host of reports tabbed Woody Johnson (and his sons) as being overly involved in personnel decisions, creating more instability for the franchise that has the NFL’s longest active playoff drought — at 14 seasons. The team found a gem in Gardner, however, despite his slight step backward in Year 3. The former No. 4 overall pick is a two-time first-team All-Pro, already rocketing to the top fifth-year option tier — which doubles as the franchise tag value — at corner. The Jets will pick up that option by May, giving them two more years of control.

The physical corner has long been deemed a big-picture priority, while slot defender Michael Carter already signed his extension. With Carter signed and the Jets — barring a drastic approach change from the next front office — eyeing a Gardner extension, D.J. Reed appears close to gone. The former 49ers and Seahawks CB’s three-year deal expires in March, and he has already alluded to testing the market. Reed expanded on that stance recently.

“Obviously, in this league, it’s about winning,” Reed told the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly. “But, you could go to a good organization, you think is a good organization, and the year you go there, they’re not winning. I think it’s deeper than just winning. I think it’s just being in a stable organization that has a winning culture and just being in a good environment, a healthy environment.”

Even the most ardent of Jets backers would have a difficult time classifying it as a stable organization presently, and with Carter and Gardner higher priorities, Reed appears set to hit the market again. He will follow the likes of Chidobe Awuzie and Kendall Fuller as a corner seeking a third payday in free agency. Both did fairly well, Awuzie especially (via a three-year, $36MM deal) in 2024. Reed, who is playing out a three-year deal worth $33MM, turned 28 in November and has been a regular starter for five seasons. The ex-Seahawk regular graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 29 overall corner in 2024; Gardner ranked 32nd, per the advanced metrics site.

Gardner, 24, has a new cornerback market to survey after the paydays went out to Patrick Surtain and Jalen Ramsey last summer; both topped $24MM per year on a market that had been stuck at $21MM AAV for more than two years. Reed will not be targeting that, but the proven starter should be able to do well on the open market in his late 20s.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/4/25

January 4th, 2025 at 9:47pm CST by Ely Allen

The last minor moves and standard gameday elevations of the 2024 NFL regular season:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Ross’ new deal to the Texans’ 53-man roster is good through the 2025 season, as well. Ditto for Jones, signed to the active roster in New England today.

Sanders returned to practice this week, and his activation will allow him to close out his second Panthers season on the field rather than on the mend. His Carolina tenure has fallen well short of expectations and a release in the near future could be in the cards. Given the team’s backfield injuries, though, Sanders could handle a notable workload tomorrow while potentially auditioning for free agent suitors.

Gilman’s return will be welcomed by the Chargers’ defense. The 27-year-old has remained a full-time starter this season, his second straight handling first-team duties. Los Angeles is assured of a wild-card spot, but moving up to the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture could be possible on Sunday. In any case, Gilman’s presence will be key for a Bolts defense which leads the league in points allowed per game (17.6).

Gardner’s campaign will come to an end after 15 games played. He fell short of a Pro Bowl nod for this first time in his young career, but the fourth pick of the 2022 draft remained a critical member of the team’s secondary when healthy. Gardner is eligible for an extension this offseason, and his financial future (which will include a fifth-year option decision in the spring) will be a key point of focus once New York’s head coach/general manager tandem is in place.

Jets Unlikely To Cut WR Allen Lazard, Could Extend CB Michael Carter II

June 2nd, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Ely Allen

We saw reports a couple weeks ago that the Jets would be open to trading away wide receiver Allen Lazard. One thing that’s become more than clear, though, is that New York won’t likely be cutting him anytime soon, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa State signed a big four-year, $44MM contract to follow his quarterback from Green Bay to New York last year. After said quarterback was lost for the year, Lazard went on to put up his worst season since his rookie year. After seeing Lazard step up in 2022 as the Packers’ WR1 following Davante Adams‘ departure, the Jets were hoping Lazard would bring similar success returning to the WR2 role behind Garrett Wilson. While Lazard did just perform as the team’s WR2, he severely underperformed, catching 23 passes for 311 yards and one touchdown while getting outgained by running back Breece Hall and tight end Tyler Conklin.

One may shrug off that lack of production due to Aaron Rodgers‘ season-ending injury, but that excuse doesn’t lessen the impact of Lazard’s contract. With Lazard holding a $12.18MM cap hit in 2024, the Jets can hardly afford for the 28-year-old to repeat last year’s disappointment. Unfortunately, though, with his entire $10MM salary in 2024 already guaranteed, they can’t afford to release him, either. That’s why the team is okay trading him. At this point, trading him would only cost them $2.18MM in dead money while saving them $10MM in cap space; cutting Lazard would cost them all $12.18MM from the salary and prorated signing bonus, leaving the entire amount on their salary cap.

The team also acquired veteran free agent Mike Williams and drafted Western Kentucky receiver Malachi Corley in the third round of this year’s draft. Both players are currently projected to be above Lazard on the depth chart, making it far more difficult for Lazard to improve on his situation and production. Without the ability to release him, trading away the veteran wideout may be the only way to keep Lazard from eating up $10MM of cap space while spending the season as an off-the-bench role player in 2024.

On the other side of the ball, the Jets are showing a lot of interest in extending nickelback Michael Carter II. With higher-profile players like Sauce Gardner, C.J. Mosley, Quinnen Williams, and Jermaine Johnson getting most of the attention, Carter has quietly emerged as one of the top players at his position. Though Pro Football Focus doesn’t grade nickel cornerbacks separately from outside cornerbacks, Carter still ranked just nine spots behind Gardner as the 12th-best cornerback in the NFL. This was only a slight improvement over his placement at 19th in his sophomore campaign.

Now heading into the final year of his rookie deal, the Jets would prefer to get ahead of what could be yet another bout with unrestricted free agency next offseason. A few complications will stand in the way, though. The outside cornerback opposite Gardner, D.J. Reed, also graded out highly per PFF, slotting in at 19th last year, giving New York three cornerbacks in the top-20 in 2023. Reed is also entering a contract year, and Gardner will be eligible for a new contract the following year and will likely draw record-breaking numbers. The team also recently signed Isaiah Oliver who has been one of the league’s better slot cornerbacks in recent years. Although he is reportedly moving to the safeties room in New York, Oliver could slide back into his original position should the team opt not to pay Carter.

The league’s highest-paid nickelback is currently Taron Johnson on the Bills who is under a three-year, $33MM deal. That contract is identical in length and total value to Reed’s expiring deal, and after his top-20 performance in 2023, Reed may push that price up with a successful 2024 campaign. Throw in fact that Gardner’s future contract could push $23 or $24MM per year, and it’s going to be nearly impossible for the Jets to hold on to all three.

New York has some decisions to make in its cornerbacks room. Extending Carter may well be the cheapest of the three deals, but doing so may mark the end of Reed’s time with the Jets. With Gardner the clear, No. 1 priority, New York may be facing a decision of extending only one of either Carter or Reed.

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