The Jets will have a few good problems they'll need to solve in the next few seasons: What to do with their youthful talent.
While general manager Joe Douglas hasn't had the best success in the draft, his recent classes have been very productive. Sauce Gardner, the No. 4 pick in 2022, is already a two-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro cornerback and won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson won Offensive Rookie of the Year after being picked No. 10 overall in 2022 and has two 1,000-yard seasons. Running back Breece Hall had more than 1,500 scrimmage yards in his second year.
All three — as well as a few others — are still on rookie contracts, which has helped Douglas build a talented and relatively inexpensive roster around 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That won't last forever, though, as the Jets' draft classes will soon be up for contract extensions. There are a few veterans who'll command new deals as soon as this upcoming offseason as well.
A lot of what the Jets do with these players will depend on how the 2024 season goes. If Rodgers rebounds after his Achilles injury and takes the Jets far — to the playoffs or further — then there is a case to be made to try and keep New York's core together for as long as possible and hope Rodgers' predecessor reveals himself before Rodgers retires.
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However, decisions will need to be made, and Douglas will need to make preparations to ensure he doesn't get into a situation where he upsets a key player or trade him away a year early to avoid losing him for nothing.
There are several younger and veteran players on the Jets roster with contract questions coming up in the next one to three seasons. Here are six players who could command expensive deals for New York.
Jets' most expensive upcoming contracts
CB Sauce Gardner
Gardner is the face of the franchise and arguably the most important non-quarterback player on the Jets' roster. He's already won multiple personal accolades and is listed as the best cornerback in the league by some analysts. Gardner's 31 defended passes ranks third among defensive backs since 2022 and he's allowed fewer than six yards per target in each of the past two years.
Unless Gardner's production takes a massive hit in 2024 or he sustains a career-threatening injury, he could very well become the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL after the 2025 season.
Currently, the Packers' Jaire Alexander is the highest-paid player with a $21 million average annual salary and the Browns' Denzel Ward signed the largest total value contract at five years, $110.5 million with $71.25 million guaranteed. It's not inconceivable to think Gardner could make more than that when he signs his extension, according to Bleacher Report's Maurice Moton.
WR Garrett Wilson
The price for a No. 1 receiver keeps going up. Justin Jefferson just reset the wide receiver market with his $140 million deal, while others like Nico Collins (Texans), Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), Calvin Ridley (Titans), Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts) and the Eagles' duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith all signed lucrative contract extensions.
MORE: The NFL's highest-paid wide receivers in 2024 salary, guaranteed money and total contract value
Wilson's market value will certainly be affected by these deals, as well as the impending new contracts for Brandon Aiyuk, CeeDee Lamb, Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. Even veterans like Amari Cooper and Stefon Diggs will command big extensions soon. Is Wilson worth $30 million annually? We'll see what the Jets think after the 2025 season.
RB Breece Hall
The Jets should pay Gardner and Wilson because both are good players at important positions. Hall, though, will be a major question mark in terms of his value given his injury history and his role as a running back.
There was a shift in running back deals this offseason as seven players signed deals without at least $5 million annually. There were only 11 players to cross that threshold over the past four years combined. Hall has proven to be one of the better running backs in the NFL and should be among those highly-paid players. But as a second-round pick, the Jets won't have the fifth-year option to elongate his extension talks.
DE Haason Reddick
Reddick is in the final year of a deal he signed with the Eagles before being traded to the Jets. He's also been absent from voluntary workouts this offseason. That can't be a coincidence. Reddick is a bit older (he'll be 30 in September) but is one of the more consistent pass rushers in the NFL with at least 11 sacks per year in each of the past four seasons.
The Jets could re-sign Reddick now or give him a pay bump on the one-year deal so he can cash in next offseason. Other 30-year-old edge rushers earned between $18 and $20 million annually, though, while Reddick will make $15 million in 2024.
MORE: Where does the Jets' defense rank after 2024 NFL Draft?
CB D.J. Reed
Gardner's cornerback running mate will be up for an extension after this season. And while he's a veteran, Reed is still one of the top players at his position in the league. He ranked No. 10 on the Pro Football Network list after he tallied 156 total tackles, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and 21 pass deflections.
The Jets signed Reed for a relatively inexpensive deal in 2022 worth just $33 million. That will likely change this offseason given Reed's consistency at the position and age.
CB Michael Carter II
Another cornerback will be up for a contract extension this offseason. Carter II, a fifth-round pick out of Duke, has played in all but four games during his NFL career. He has two interceptions, 23 defended passes and 185 combined tackles in 47 games. Carter II came off his first coverage season in the NFL with just 4.8 yards allowed per target and a 51.6% completion rate.
Given the impending extensions for Gardner and Reed, Carter II may be the odd man out if he wants a lucrative deal. The going rate for a top-flight nickel cornerback is $11 million per year, which may be too much for the Jets to fork up given the other contracts they'll need to consider.
