Getty First-round edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux (left) and Jermaine Johnson II (right) have now both signed their rookie deals.
Rookie first-rounders have been signing all around the NFL at what feels like record speed in comparison to other offseasons and the New York Jets just inked their second of three day-one picks last night on May 16.
OFFICIAL: @ii_jermaine has signed his rookie deal!! ✈️
Cornerback Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner set the tempo with a contract signing in early May and defensive end Jermaine Johnson II followed his lead. “Officially official guys,” the pass rusher confirmed on Twitter.
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Johnson’s Contract Terms
The ‘J.J.’ signing leaves wide receiver Garrett Wilson as the final 2022 first-round selection to put the pen to paper. ESPN beat reporter Rich Cimini revealed the terms and financials of the deal.
“The Jets have signed 26th overall pick Jermaine Johnson II, the team announced. It’s a four-year, $13.1M contract [rounded up from $13.087M] for the former Florida State DE, per @spotrac. It includes a $6.7M signing bonus. It also has the standard fifth-year option,” he relayed.
In direct comparison to Gardner’s $33.45 million deal with $21.5 million at signing, this contract looks affordable, but it’s still a healthy chunk to dish out to a rookie. Based on these two deals, as well as other rookie contracts around the league, Spotrac estimates that Wilson’s dollar amount will fall somewhere in the middle around $20.5 million.
That would mean that the Jets are paying roughly $67 million for their top three 2022 selections over the next four years. This may feel like a lot right now, but it’s a bargain if the three pan out long-term.
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J.J.’s Message to Fans: ‘Feels so Meant to Be’
At his signing, Johnson shared a message with Jets Twitter. “Hey Jets fam, it’s officially official,” the edge rusher reiterated. “I just put pen to paper. I’m extremely excited, this is a big dream for me, and it all feels so meant to be. I can’t wait to go.”
Now let’s go have some fun, @ii_jermaine.
The caption read: “Now let’s go have some fun.”
Johnson appears to be on cloud nine at One Jets Drive and why shouldn’t he be? The JUCO product has come a long way to make it this far and he ended up at a destination he called “special” on draft night.
“They said they’d come get me and they came and got me.”
You know it, @ii_jermaine.
#NFLDraft 4/28-4/30 on NFLN/ABC/ESPN
“It’s awesome,” Johnson told reporters at rookie minicamp. “I mean, kind of the dream aspect, just envisioning myself being in this position and, you know, actually being here, but there’s another aspect of actually being excited to be a part of this team, this family. Excited to be a part of something big — something big that can happen here.”
In terms of what to expect on the gridiron, Johnson had a less friendly message.
“It’s a mindset — violence,” he voiced. “There’s no pretty-boy work in the trenches. It’s fun and sacks look good and stuff like that, but first and second down are primarily runs, so you have to earn the right to rush the passer. And what comes with that at my position is setting the edge, and you have to be violent and take your job serious.”
Johnson stated that his first priority right now is being able to “prove himself as a worthy teammate [and] worthy brother” to his new Jets family.
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