THE DEAL IS DONE this only the beginning. my brother @allantegardner bts & @ajv got it done. I appreciate the Jets organization for believing in me, my teammates for the blood, sweat, & tears we put in, and JETS NATION… I appreciate y’all supporting me Thank you GOD pic.twitter.com/1qsiT3Xga3

— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) July 15, 2025

This is the second major extension the Jets have handed out in as many days. Yesterday, Gang Green announced that it had signed wide receiver Garrett Wilson to a four-year contract extension worth $130 million. That deal will keep Wilson in a Jets uniform through 2030 as well.

Ever since he was taken with the fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Sauce Gardner has been a force in the league. He has already been elected to two Pro Bowls and been named a First-Team All-Pro twice.

Things are looking up for the Jets

Former Jets general manager Joe Douglas had plenty of issues, but one thing he did well was draft talented players. During the days of Jets football before Joe Douglas arrived, Gang Green was arguably the least talented team in the NFL. Think about it; do you remember New York handing out any meaningful contract extensions during the late 2010s? Exactly!

Joe Douglas was able to turn things around, though, supplying the Jets with loads of young talent. From 2020 to 2024, New York has added Breece Hall, Jamien Sherwood, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner, Jermaine Johnson, Joe Tippmann, and Will McDonald, each of whom appears to be a key piece in the Jets’ future. So while it’s fun to rag on the Jets and Joe Douglas, it’s worth noting that he acquired most of New York’s best players.

The New York Jets are still just a quarterback away from being competitive. But they’re actually closer to their goal of contending for a championship now than they were two years ago when they traded for Aaron Rodgers. This team is older and wiser than they were in 2023. On top of that, the most important players are happier because their futures are no longer up in the air. I would also argue that the offensive and defensive lines are better now than they were heading into the 2023-24 season, which will allow the Jets to find long-term success whenever they figure out who their quarterback of the future will be.

Term update: Jets and CB Sauce Gardner reached the agreement on a four-year deal that ties him to the team for the next six seasons, through 2030. It’s the same structure and length as Garrett Wilson’s deal Monday. Gardner’s deal includes $60 million guaranteed. pic.twitter.com/nEIvhG5yZu

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 15, 2025

Talent wasn’t the problem with the Joe Douglas era. The issue was bad coaching, horrendous ownership, and inconsistent quarterback play. I would say that almost any other NFL franchise with he 2024-25 Jets’ roster would’ve made the playoffs. If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ roster were made up of all the players from the New York Jets’ 2024-25 campaign, I actually believe that group would’ve been able to make a playoff push. But because they’re cursed to wear Jets logos, they instead went 5-12.

The 2024 Jets are similar to the 2025 Jets with a few key differences. Now, there’s no concern that Sauce Gardner or Garrett Wilson will demand out of New York through a trade. It’s also a guarantee that those two guys will be members of the teams for at least the next five years. They’re also much younger at the quarterback position and at both tackle spots, which has me thinking this squad could maybe compete for a playoff spot. They probably won’t reach the postseason, but the Jets will be more competitive this year than last year, and part of that is because they have secured their offensive and defensive stars of the future.