In an exquisite coincidence, Sauce Gardner expressed optimism that his contract talks with the Jets are headed in the best course whereas standing in entrance of a backdrop promoting Money App.
Gardner participated in necessary minicamp this week as a substitute of holding out and accepting a tremendous to ship a message about urgency and leverage in negotiations.
Veterans Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) and T.J. Watt (Steelers) are attempting the alternative path.
“I simply needed to point out my teammates and the coaches how a lot I’m purchased into this,” Gardner mentioned after Thursday’s follow. “I need to win. I need to be part of altering the group.”
Gardner’s first three seasons embrace a Defensive Rookie of the 12 months award, two Professional Bowls and two First-Group All-Professional alternatives.
He’s due $5.2 million this season and is underneath workforce management on a fifth-year choice in 2026.
The straightforward resolution is to make Gardner the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback prior to later and keep away from the flashbacks to standoffs with Jamal Adams and Darrelle Revis.
No must persuade head coach Aaron Glenn — a former Professional Bowl cornerback for the Jets — on the worth of lockdown protection.
That contract ceiling — occupied momentarily by the Texans’ Derek Stingley Jr. at a median annual wage of $30 million over three years — solely will proceed climbing, and Stingley (No. 3) and Gardner (No. 4) had been back-to-back picks within the 2022 draft.
There may be loads of room between Stingley and the No. 2 choice, Panthers’ Jaycee Horn ($25 million per 12 months over 4 seasons).
“My major focus is being the perfect soccer participant I may be,” Gardner mentioned, “however my workforce and the Jets have been speaking, and I really feel actually good about how the talks have been going. I don’t actually need to get into the numbers.”
Basic supervisor Darren Mougey may play hardball and make Gardner wait one other 12 months, but it surely will get difficult with receiver Garrett Wilson and Gardner on the identical contract timeline and just one franchise tag out there per offseason.
To not point out 2026 free brokers Jermaine Johnson and Breece Corridor.
“Since Day 1, [Wilson and I] got here right here saying we now have to push one another as a result of we need to assist the group,” Gardner mentioned. “In the event you win in New York, it’s huge on your legacy individually, huge for the group.
“Quick-forward, we’re going into 12 months 4 collectively, and we all the time speak about competing at follow and the way we now have to make one another higher as a result of we’re the constructing blocks for this group. We’re the homegrown expertise that A.G. talks about.”
Critics — and Gardner unusually has greater than most high gamers — say the 24-year-old star took a step again final season when he wasn’t named a Professional Bowler or an All-Professional.
And so they level to his low three-year interception whole of three in comparison with Singley’s 11.
“His commonplace is so excessive as a result of he’s such a distinct participant than all people else on the sector,” cornerback Michael Carter II mentioned. “He’s centered, locked in. His mindset doesn’t change someway.”
Gardner appreciates the problem from Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks to chase perfection.
“I do know I’m not good,” Gardner mentioned, “however the truth that [Wilks] is making an attempt to get perfection out of me is what I would like. I’ve had plenty of early success within the league, and the very last thing I would like is a brand new regime to come back in right here and permit me to be complacent — not saying that’s who I’m. It’s nice to have these sorts of guys who’re going to demand so much out of me and push me in methods I’ve by no means been pushed earlier than.”
Gardner nonetheless seems like an “underdog” as a Cincinnati product.
“Everyone was saying, ‘He’s going to be an All-Professional,’ however they didn’t actually consider that was going to occur till it occurred,” Gardner mentioned. “Then they shortly jumped ship. I’m actually used to it. I all the time really feel like I’ve one thing to show yearly.”
The brand new protection is anticipated to be extra blitz-heavy and man-to-man-coverage primarily based than what Gardner beforehand skilled.
Is he prepared for a brand new function?
“I thank them every single day as a result of they put me able to make performs,” Gardner mentioned. “Not me discovering methods to make performs and making an attempt to do Herculean issues. They’re placing me, the remainder of our secondary and our entire protection able to make performs.”
And playmakers receives a commission huge bucks.
