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Sauce Gardner Feels 'Pretty Good' About Contract Negotiations With Jets

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jack Gorman | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 4:02 PM ET

New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner's play may have taken a slight step back last season. However, he was hardly alone, as the Jets finished with just five wins. It doesn't seem like the new management is holding that against him.

Entering his fourth season, the 2022 No. 4 overall choice is eligible for his first league contract extension. As NFL observers know, this is the time when the biggest stars get the biggest bucks, and Gardner definitely has those dollar signs in his eyes.

It has been reported that Gardner is seeking a contract that would place him around $30 million annually as he looks to be a "Jet for life." That would far exceed the $24.1 million that Jalen Ramsey earned as the highest-paid corner in the league last year.

Sauce Gardner on why he decided to show up to minicamp when other players around the league who are looking for contract extensions are not. #Jets pic.twitter.com/rCGfjilZCn
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) June 12, 2025

However, 2025 has seen an explosion in the cornerback market. On March 10, Jaycee Horn of the Carolina Panthers signed a new deal for a $25 million average. Just a week later, Houston's Derek Stingley blew that out of the water with a three-year, $90 million contract extension, which averages the $30 million Gardner is looking for.

These contracts might cause friction between some players and their teams, as they might be thinking, "Why them but not me?" However, Gardner is taking it all in stride.

When asked by Zack Roseblatt of The Athletic how things were progressing, Gardner said, “I feel pretty good about how the talks have been going.” When pressed on why he hasn't held out, Gardner replied, “I just wanted to show my teammates, my coaches how much I want to win. I want to be part of change in the organization.”

Sauce Gardner said his team and the #Jets have been talking: “I feel pretty good about how the talks have been going.”
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) June 12, 2025

2024 was the first year since he was drafted that Gardner did not go to the Pro Bowl. A return to form for him will be a welcome change for the organization that has not been to the playoffs in a decade and a half.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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