The 2025 season is right around the corner, and a handful of teams are still staring down some major contract decisions. Take the Jets, for example. Some might point to Garrett Wilson as their top priority—and sure, he’s earned that conversation. But if we’re being real, Sauce Gardner’s résumé speaks louder. Defensive Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Pro, Pro Bowler twice over—he’s on a trajectory that could reset the cornerback market entirely.

But the big question: when will the Jets come on board with a decision to re-sign Gardner? They’ve already picked a fifth-year option on the 24-year-old corner, and that means only one thing. Gardner is set to make $5.3 million in 2025, then $20.2 million in 2026. But expect the New York team to finalize a deal pretty soon. Because when asked about the status of his new deal with the Jets, Gardner put it out in two words, “Real soon.”

Following the wrap-up of his third season, Gardner became eligible for a new deal. However, rather than offering a contract extension, the Jets used a fifth-year option on their CB. Now, let’s face it—we’ve already seen a few veterans holding out of mandatory minicamp amidst contract negotiations. But Gardner? Nope. The fourth-year corner wanted to show his teammates, coaches, and the fans that he’s more focused on winning games in his fourth season.

“I just wanted to show my teammates, show the coaches how much I’m bought into this,” Gardner said last week. “I want to win, I want to be a part of changing the organization.” Gardner is coming off of what was statistically his worst NFL season. The CB had just 49 tackles, nine passes defended, and one interception in comparison to 20 passes defended in his rookie season.

Though he’s still in New York through the 2026 season, the cornerback was asked if he was optimistic about his new extension. But again, he shrugged it off, laying everything simply that he’s focusing on being the best football player. “My main focus is being the best football player I could be,” he added. “But my team and the Jets have been talking, and I feel pretty good about how the talks have been going.”

However, with the cornerback market booming this offseason, it’s safe to expect Gardner to land a massive extension when the time comes. The Panthers‘ DE Jaycee Horn inked a four-year, $100 million deal. And then there was the Texans‘ CB, Derek Stingley Jr., who signed a three-year, $90 million contract. Expect Sauce Gardner and the Jets next in line. When? Real soon, as the CB himself put it.

But amidst the contract extension excitement, it looks like the CB had a rough last week.

Tom Brady did Sauce Gardner dirty

Tom Brady and the Jets? They’ve been rivals. Whether it’s their division rivalry during Brady’s Patriots‘ days or in the present, even after Brady hung up his cleats for good. These two just don’t sit well, literally. And it’s well-documented. When the Jets’ Hard Knocks documentary came out a couple of years back, the NFL legend was asked whether he’d watched it or not. Brady’s response? Brutal.

“Honestly, I haven’t turned it on. I hate the Jets, so I refuse to support that show.” He wasn’t sugarcoating it back then, and he isn’t mincing words now as well. Brady recently attended the Fanatics Fest in New York this week, and let’s just say he showed the world how much he still hates his former division rivals. A video recently went viral on ‘X’, where Brady was walking the stage at the event, carrying his usual persona.

But when he approached the fans, he pointed at one of them carrying a jersey. Later, it turned out to be the Jets’ CB Sauce Gardner’s jersey. What did Tom Brady do? Well, he threw it to the ground and spit on it before stomping on it. Not the kind of visuals Gardner wanted to see. Except that he did. And get this, the 24-year-old CB expressed his disappointment over this disrespect.

After all, there isn’t any sort of beef between these two. “What you saying F— me for?” Gardner shared a message through a GIF of rapper 50 Cent. However, we can expect it was the Jets’ jersey that Brady was targeting and not Gardner’s jersey. All in all, there’s a lot to unfold before Sauce Gardner finally inks a massive contract extension. The odds are in favor of his getting a deal done by the time the regular season kicks off.