Rich CiminiJul 29, 2025, 06:00 AM ETCloseRich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast.
He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University.Follow on X
Rich CiminiJul 29, 2025, 06:00 AM ET
CloseRich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast.
He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University.Follow on X
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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — WhenNew York Jetscoach Aaron Glenn was 25, likeSauce GardnerandGarrett Wilsonwill be when the season kicks offSept. 7, he signed a five-year, $19.3 million contract extension with the Jets.
That was huge money in 1997. It made him the second-highest paid cornerback, behind Deion Sanders.
Based on his experience as a player and coach, Glenn knows the importance of locking in young talent. Gardner and Wilson signed four-year extensions (through 2030) for $120.4 million and $130 million, respectively, last week.
Now, what? New York has a handful of other extension-worthy candidates, namelyBreece Hall,Jermaine Johnson,Alijah Vera-TuckerandQuincy Williams.
“We’ll see,” Glenn said, commenting on whether other extensions are on the team’s horizon.
Smiling, he added, “I mean, what did we shell out, 200-something million dollars? [We] have to take it easy a little bit, but I hope so.
With the guys that we have here, I hope we’ll be able to do that.”
NFL contracts aren’t always what they seem on paper, but there’s no denying that owner Woody Johnson made a strong financial commitment to Gardner and Wilson. They will collect a combined $128 million in actual cash over the next three seasons, according to Spotrac — the kind of money that opens eyes in the locker room. It sends a positive message that ownership wants to win, players said.
Glenn wants it to become the norm.
He wants to become one of those teams that drafts, develops and extends — forming a winning core that can lead to sustained success. Of course, past regimes said the same thing, but they couldn’t execute it.
Of New York’s nine first-round picks from 2012 to 2019, only one received a second contract — defensive tackleQuinnen Williams, who re-upped in 2023 for $96 million over four years. SafetyJamal Adamsand defensive tackleLeonard Williamswere traded before their rookie contracts expired, shipped off for draft compensation.
One of the acquired picks from theSeattle Seahawksin the Adams trade turned out to be Wilson, so at least the team parlayed one key player into a better one.
“Those two guys, they are foundational players,” Glenn said of Wilson and Gardner. “And I’m glad that we got the deals done because I want them here for a long time. I want to set the precedent here, man.
I want to sign all the players back.”
Source: Espnnfl
