Top Jets Insider Predicts Turbulent Garrett Wilson Contract Negotiations

Does Wilson deserve to be paid like one of the NFL's best wideouts?

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) is shown as he warms up, Sunday January 5, 2025, in East Rutherford. / Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets seemingly must extend Garrett Wilson this offseason, but don't be surprised if negotiations encounter some turbulence.

During a TV segment over the weekend, SNY-TV's Connor Hughes offered insight into how the Jets could approach contract negotiations for Wilson and Sauce Gardner. And though Hughes believes talks with Gardner, one of the NFL's top cornerbacks, should be relatively straightforward, he also wonders whether Wilson and the Jets will be on the same page.

"At the time, dating back to the NFL combine a couple weeks ago, nothing was imminent," Hughes said. "And what I mean by that is this isn't like the Jets don't want to pay these guys. Aaron Glenn (and) Darren Mougey, they were just worried about the free agency, they were worried about getting things in line for the NFL draft -- trades, things like that. Once they got through that, they were gonna get to the negotiating table and figure out what they wanted to do with Sauce, what they wanted to do with Garrett.

"I think that the Sauce Gardner contract negotiation is the easier of the two because this is a two-time First-Team All-Pro. Those accolades aren't handed out to just anyone. Sauce Gardner will be the highest-paid NFL cornerback once the Jets extend him. Garrett Wilson -- a little bit more challenging. Because he's not Justin Jefferson; he's not (Ja'Marr) Chase. Where do you plug him in in the hierarchy of the best receivers in the NFL, and then where do you pay him as such? You know Garrett Wilson's going to have an opinion of what he's worth, which might be a little bit different than what the Jets have an opinion of what he's worth. So, I could see that one potentially getting a little more complicated."

Historically, the Jets haven't given lucrative contract extensions to young players before they hit free agency. But Hughes believes New York should break tradition under its new regime.

"The last Jets regime with Joe Douglas, they were very much in the realm and the world of, 'We do not play players after three years; we don't pay players after four years. We'll figure it out after that. We don't want to set the precedent that everyone after three years, we pay them.' I think that's bogus; I think that's an old logic. I think that when you have players, like you do in Sauce (and) like you do in Garrett, two players playing premium positions, two players that can be franchise cornerstones ... you reward them now because the price is only gonna go up and up and up."

Time will tell what kind of extension lands from the Jets. The 2022 first-round pack seemingly liked the signing of quarterback Justin Fields and hasn't indicated he wants to play anywhere other than New York. Perhaps the Cincinnati Bengals' reported four-year, $115 million extension for Tee Higgins can serve as a template for Wilson and the Jets.

Wilson, 24, posted receiving-yard totals of 1,103, 1,042 and 1,104 in his first three seasons, respectively.

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