Report: New York Jets, Sauce Gardner agree to four-year, $120 million extension

The New York Jets and All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner have reportedly agreed to terms on a massive 4-year, $120.4M extension, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The deal makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

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The #Jets and All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner have agreed to terms on a massive new extension, making him the highest-paid CB in NFL history, per The Insiders.

It’s a 4-year, $120.4M deal — $30.1M per year — done by his team – agent @ajv and @allantegardner of @vaynersports. pic.twitter.com/T0Hfr9Pd0P

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 15, 2025

He was already guaranteed $25,453,473 per his remaining rookie contract, so the new money guarantee on his 4 year, $120.4M extension comes in at $60M. His extension comes just two days after the Jets and superstar wide receiver Garrett Wilson reached an agreement on a four-year, $130 million extension with $90 million guaranteed.

Sauce revealed that he and the Jets were close on a deal last Thursday at minicamp. “My main focus has been being the best football player I can be, but my team and the Jets have been talking and, you know, I feel pretty good about how the talks have been going,” he said.

Gardner was an integral member of Cincinnati‘s 2021 College Football Playoff team, totaling 40 tackles, five TFL and three interceptions. He was then selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, becoming the highest drafted player in Cincinnati history.

Gardner is heading into fourth season with New York Jets

Over his first three seasons in New York, Gardner has recorded 181 tackles, three interceptions and six TFL. In that span, he was named the 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, a two-time First Team All-Pro (2022 & 2023) and a two-time Pro Bowler (2022 & 2023).

His stellar play however hasn’t contributed to much success, as the Jets are just 19-32 over the past three seasons. It’s been a brutal stretch of seasons for New York’s third team, as they haven’t enjoyed a winning season (10-6) since 2015 and haven’t reached the NFL Playoffs since 2010.

“Man, I just wanted to show my teammates, show my coaches how much I’m bought into this now,” Gardner also said last week. “I want to win and change the organization. I want to be a part of changing the organization.”

The Jets will head into the 2025 season under new leadership, as former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was hired as their new head coach this offseason. Glenn’s leadership should be massive for Gardner’s continued development, as the Lions have consistently produced one of the league’s best defenses over the past few seasons.

They open the 2025 NFL season on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers and former quarterback Aaron Rodgers on September 7.