Garrett Wilson's deal make it 3-for-3 for Jets in signing first-round picks
Garrett Wilson talks to reporters on the second day of Jets rookie minicamp on May 7, 2022. Credit: Pablo Garcia Corradi
All three of the Jets’ first-round picks have now signed their rookie contracts.
Receiver Garrett Wilson was the last to ink his. The No. 10 pick from Ohio State signed a fully guaranteed, four-year, $20.55 million deal with a fifth-year team option.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner, the No. 4 selection, and defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who the Jets traded up to draft with the No. 26 pick, had already signed their deals.
Wilson caught 70 passes for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. He was arguably the best receiver in the draft. The Jets envision Wilson eventually becoming a No. 1 receiver for them.
The 6-foot, 188-pound Wilson joins a receiver room that features Corey Davis, Elijah Moore and Braxton Berrios. The Jets have plenty of versatility with that group, giving offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and second-year quarterback Zach Wilson multiple options.
The Jets haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since 2015 when Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker eclipsed that mark. Garrett Wilson believes he can have the kind of immediate impact that Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, the 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year, had for his team.
“I’m very confident,” Wilson said. “I think I can have that impact. I’m going to do everything it takes to have that impact.”
The Jets addressed needs and strengthened both sides of the football with their three first-round picks and were widely praised for having one of the best drafts of any team.
While there won’t be any first-round holdouts this year, the Jets’ remaining four draft choices are still unsigned: running back Breece Hall, tight end Jeremy Ruckert of Lindenhurst, offensive lineman Max Mitchell and defensive end Micheal Clemons.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
