1 month ago
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Rich CiminiJun 12, 2025, 05:25 PM ET
- Rich Cimini is simply a unit writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL astatine ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for implicit 30 years, joining ESPN successful 2010. Rich besides hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He antecedently was a bushed writer for the New York Daily News and is simply a postgraduate of Syracuse University.
New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner wants to instrumentality astir for the agelong term, hoping helium tin beryllium a catalyst for a melodramatic turnaround. It sounds similar that privation volition travel to fruition.
The 2 sides are engaged successful declaration discussions, according to Gardner.
"My main absorption has been being the champion shot subordinate I tin be, but my squad and the Jets person been talking and, you know, I consciousness beauteous bully astir however the talks person been going," helium said Thursday astatine the decision of the team's mandatory minicamp.
Gardner, 24, a two-time All-Pro and the 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, said it was important for him to beryllium astatine minicamp.
"Man, I conscionable wanted to amusement my teammates, amusement my coaches however overmuch I'm bought into this now," helium said. "I privation to win. I privation to alteration the organization. I privation to beryllium a portion of changing the organization."
Gardner's fifth-year enactment was exercised successful May, truthful helium has 2 years remaining connected his rookie contract.
The Jets ne'er person extended a erstwhile first-round prime aft 3 seasons, but caller wide manager Darren Mougey has talked astir locking up their apical young players. They're besides successful talks with fourth-year wide receiver Garrett Wilson, different 2022 first-round choice.
Houston Texans prima Derek Stingley, Jr., drafted No. 3 wide successful 2022 (one spot up of Gardner), raised the ceiling for corners earlier this offseason with a three-year, $90 cardinal extension.
Gardner declined to accidental whether helium wants to surpass Stingley arsenic the highest-paid corner.
"I don't truly privation to get into the numbers," helium said.
In Gardner's archetypal 3 seasons, the Jets compiled a 19-32 record, which led to an organizational reboot. He praised Mougey and caller manager Aaron Glenn, himself a erstwhile country who played with the Jets from 1994 to 2001.
"I consciousness similar they're doing a large occupation and changing the civilization for sure," Gardner said.
Gardner and Wilson were portion of a blockbuster 2022 draught class, which besides included antiaircraft extremity Jermaine Johnson (first round) and moving backmost Breece Hall (second round). Johnson missed 15 games past play with a torn Achilles, but his fifth-year enactment was exercised. Hall is entering the last twelvemonth of his contract.
The Jets expect a large twelvemonth retired of Gardner.
"He's 1 of the apical corners successful the league, but that consistency of being that ascendant subordinate each and each week, that's what we're looking for," antiaircraft coordinator Steve Wilks said. "That's been his situation this offseason."
