The Jets Need to Extend These Two Young Stars Before It’s Too Late
With the New York Jets minicamp over, there are many things to look forward to during the upcoming season and July training camps. A new coaching staff and a new draft class looking to make waves are just two exciting things for fans to be interested in watching. However, fans might also feel the stress looming for the extensions of superstars Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson. With both players entering their fourth year with the team, it’s time to start looking ahead to their futures with the Jets.
Although the team chemistry during the years under former head coach Robert Saleh was murky at best, Gardner and Wilson both never failed to speak about how they wanted to be Jets for life. Gardner expressed during the minicamp his hope to stay with the team and how a holdout for an extension would only hurt those chances. Early on in training camp, Wilson expressed similar feelings, stating, “I'm hopeful I'm a Jet for life and that we get this thing rolling and that all of our best days are ahead of us.” It’s clear these players are excited for the opportunities ahead with a new staff and new quarterback Justin Fields, and want to spend the rest of their careers in green and white.
Wilson has been a bright spot on the team for the past several years and may be poised for an even bigger breakout season this year under a new coaching regime. In the past three seasons, Wilson has totaled over 1,000 receiving yards and had his best season while sharing time with Davante Adams. With a fresh start, the departure of Adams, and Fields under center, Wilson will take most of the responsibility as the most established receiver in the Jets locker room. If Wilson can have an even better season than his first three, the Jets offense can be special.
Gardner is coming off a down year, clearly his least productive as a Jet. Still, Gardner and DJ Reed were one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL, with the fifth-best passing defense. With Reed signing with the Detroit Lions this offseason, Gardner has to step up and get back to the Pro Bowl level that he once was. It should also help that new head coach Aaron Glenn was a cornerback himself and can help Gardner get back to the player he can be. Getting a deal done early would allow him to fully focus on getting better and eliminate any distractions.
