Jets' Garrett Wilson contract is an Ocean's 11 heist after Christian Watson extension

The New York Jets are paying very few players well into the future after managing to offload Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, but they have held on to wide receiver Garrett Wilson as the key centerpiece of their skill position room with a four-year contract that pays him just above $32 million per season on average.

While some fans were initially skeptical of the deal due to Wilson's lack of genuinely elite production, the recent explosion of the wide receiver market has made this deal look like a fairly economical bit of business. Between Alec Pierce getting $28.5 millon per year in free agency and what the Green Bay Packers did with Christian Watson, the market is out of control.

The Packers agreed to a four-year, $110.5 million deal with Watson that pays him in excess of 427 million per year despite injuries and milquetoast stats. Getting Wilson for only $5 million more per year than what Green Bay gave to Watson is making No. 5's agreement age like wine.

Jets' Garrett Wilson contract looks cheap after Christian Watson deal

Watson getting extended when the best season he has had in four years saw him tally just 620 yards receiving is enough to question if Brian Gutekunst hammered this contract out while sober, but at least he doesn't have extremely concerning injuries in his history. Wait...he does. Watson has played in 10 or fewer games in a season twice in his four-year career.

Wilson, prior to last season, had not missed a game. While consistently putting up 1,000-yard seasons despite abysmal quarterback play and a lack of playmakers next to him that can make some noise, Wilson has established himself as one of the best in the game when it comes to getting open at the line of scrimmage.

Wilson might be in for his best statistical season yet. With a pass-first OC in Frank Reich, a huge upgrade at quarterback after swapping in Geno Smith and booting Justin Fields out of town, and the addition of youngsters like Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. to the mix, Wilson may finally have the support he needs.

The Jets appeared to get that Wilson deal in at the eleventh hour before the wide receiver market exploded to frankly comical proportions, and that could give Darren Mougey and the front office more flexibility to build a playoff team that not every team will be afforded.

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