The Jets have made plenty of headlines this offseason, similar to that of the Patriots, since they brought in a new regime to lead the franchise into relevancy for the 2025 season and beyond. They hope to have done enough to revamp their roster, as well, with QB Justin Fields expected to bring the offense more success than the failed Aaron Rodgers experiment, which certainly benefited the Patriots.
Their defense will continue to be led by their All-Pro cornerback, Sauce Gardner, who has a lot to prove in the season ahead after a down year in 2024. That won't necessarily matter now, however, as he just received a massive contract extension worth more than $120 million to become the highest-paid player at the position.
The #Jets and All-Pro Sauce Gardner have agreed to terms on a massive four-year, $120.4 million extension, making him the NFL’s highest-paid CB at $30.1M per year, sources tell The Insiders.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 15, 2025
Gardner’s team, agent @ajv and @allantegardner of @vaynersports, negotiated the deal. pic.twitter.com/yy5HpGg57J
Because the Patriots are going to be on the hook for a similar extension with Christian Gonzalez next offseason, as he will be entering his fourth season and can finally be given a new contract, New England now knows how much they'll be looking at to keep their shutdown corner around. It will be their next big contract to hand out, and it should be a no-brainer.
Christian Gonzalez is staring down a hefty payday after Sauce Garnder receives impressive extension
Based on Gonzalez's production since he entered the league as a first-round draft pick in 2023, shockingly falling into the Patriots' lap even after trading down, it was clear he was going to be their next superstar player. As a rookie, he might have only played in just over three games before suffering a season-ending injury, but he was already on his way to earning a Pro Bowl nod, or better yet, Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Expectations were high for his return last season, and although many analysts doubted he could build upon what he already showed the year before, he proved to be even better than expected by quickly becoming the Patriots' best defensive player on the roster. It earned him Second-Team All-Pro honors and a noteworthy snub from the Pro Bowl, which is still incomprehensible several months later.
He is heading into his third season with more chips on his shoulder and is predicted to have perhaps the best season of his career thus far, now that he will have a solid No. 2 in Carlton Davis, who will play opposite him in the secondary.
If that's the case, and there's no reason to believe it won't be, Gonzalez will easily earn a similar contract to Gardner, if not better, and the Patriots will have no reason not to give it to him. He will be the first player the team has extended to the capacity in many years, but he's worth it and then more.
Gonzalez is already becoming a pillar of the defense's identity, and rewarding him for that effort is crucial to the Patriots' future.