Derek Stingley Jr. contract proves NY Jets waited too long for Sauce Gardner extension

The correction was inevitable, and the New York Jets should have seen it coming. As the Jets take their time and await an eventual Sauce Gardner extension, the cornerback market has finally and officially been corrected.

The Houston Texans agreed to terms on a three-year, $90 million contract with $89 million in guarantees with star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. on Monday. The contract makes him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history by a wide margin.

The wide receiver market has skyrocketed in recent years, yet the cornerback market has lagged behind. As recently as August, the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver was earning $34 million AAV, while the top-paid cornerback was making just $21 million AAV — a staggering gap.

The correction was bound to happen eventually, and on Monday, it finally did. Stingley's deal will pay him a whopping $30 million per season, $5 million more than the next-highest-paid cornerback in the league, Jaycee Horn, who signed a record-breaking extension earlier this offseason.

The Jets had an opportunity to get ahead of the market and extend Gardner before other top cornerbacks reset the standard. They didn't, and now, it’s going to cost them.

Derek Stingley Jr. contract is bad news for NY Jets, great news for Sauce Gardner

The third overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Stingley has developed into one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. An injury-riddled rookie season derailed the beginning of his career, but he broke out with five interceptions in 11 games in 2023 before exploding onto the scene in 2024.

Stingley recorded another five interceptions this past season, earning first-team All-Pro honors following a spectacular year. His 80.4 Pro Football Focus grade ranked fifth among 116 qualified cornerbacks while his 84.4 PFF coverage grade ranked second.

The former LSU star earned his historic contract extension, despite early-career injury struggles. But the reality is, his resume doesn’t come close to Sauce Gardner’s. That’s why Gardner is destined to surpass this deal.

Gardner is the only cornerback in NFL history to be named to consecutive first-team All-Pro teams to start his career. Even in his supposed "down year" in 2024, Gardner still allowed the fewest catches (24) of any qualified cornerback in the league.

Gardner has two seasons where he was arguably the best cornerback in the NFL and another where he was still a top-10 player at his position. While Derek Stingley Jr. had an outstanding 2024 season, his overall resume doesn’t come close.

The Jets had a chance to get ahead of the market and lock in their superstar cornerback before other teams reset the standard. Instead, Sauce Gardner will be the one to cash in.

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