The New York Jets just made Sauce Gardner the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, extending the 2022 No. 4 overall pick four-year, $120.4 million deal. The news could impact the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they will soon have to pay their own talented young cornerback in an expensive market.
Joey Porter Jr. isn’t quite on Gardner’s level just yet, though that has more to do with Porter’s struggle with penalties than his coverage skills. In three seasons, Gardner has allowed an average of 55% of the passes in his coverage to be completed for 469 yards and one score per season.