FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – New York Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner signed his record contract on Tuesday and responded to criticism suggesting his 2024 performance didn’t justify being the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.
Gardner expressed his gratitude for the new agreement, a four-year, $120.4 million extension that ties him to the Jets until 2030. The contract, agreed upon last Tuesday, positions him above Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans, as the highest paid in his position, with $30.1 million annually, surpassing Stingley’s $30 million. Despite the fact that statistically his performance was not as outstanding as in 2022 and 2023, years in which he was the first cornerback to be named All-Pro of the first team in his first two seasons, Gardner minimized the criticism. In 2024, he received 10 penalties, more than in his first two combined seasons. According to Next Gen Stats, he finished 47th among cornerbacks in EPA (expected points added) per target (minimum 400 coverage plays), after having ranked second and thirteenth in his first two years. Gardner does not agree with the idea that his game has declined and states that the criticisms do not affect him.“Soy Sauce,” Gardner stated on the Jets veterans’ report day. “I say it humbly. No matter what I do, they’ll always make a big deal out of it. I can miss a tackle, like many others, but I understand who I am. So people tend to exaggerate things.”
Sauce Gardner
Gardner, selected at number 4 in 2022, attributed the support to the new Jets regime and owner Woody Johnson, who recognized his talent despite having only three interceptions in three years. “It’s great that the coaching staff and Mr. Johnson believed in me because, despite what people say, they watched the video,” he said. “I’m sure they watched every play of my three years. That helped them come to the idea that we were going to sign this player to a long-term extension.” Gardner acknowledged that he must improve in all aspects and is confident that this will occur in the new defensive scheme, which will put him in more man-to-man coverage than in previous years. Confident in his talent, he stated: “I know there is a floor, but there is no ceiling. The sky is the limit.” Gardner said he was ready to agree to terms last Monday, but decided to wait after learning that wide receiver Garrett Wilson had agreed to a four-year, $130 million extension. Gardner wanted his teammate to have all the spotlight, so he waited a day before accepting the terms. “We haven’t won many games and I haven’t had the season I expected, and that they still come here and believe in me and say, ‘Hey, we think you can be part of the successful side of this in the coming years,’ is incredible,” said Wilson, the fifth-highest-paid receiver. The Jets have a 19-32 record in the Wilson-Gardner era, with a playoff drought that has reached 14 seasons, the longest active streak in the league. Wilson and Gardner stated that they want to be catalysts to change the course of the franchise. “Playing meaningful football [in December and January]. That’s the next step,” Wilson said. “That’s the only step.”“Nobody is more critical of me than myself, so it doesn’t surprise me, because even though some say they hate me too much, I’m already very hard on myself,” he said.
Sauce Gardner
