Getty New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson warming up during a practice session.
The New York Jets can’t broach a contract extension with Garrett Wilson until after the 2024 NFL season. That doesn’t mean we can’t talk right now about what that could look like.
The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt acknowledged on June 7 that Wilson hasn’t reached the level of Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson yet “but after a full year with [Aaron] Rodgers in 2024, he could be in the discussion as one of the five best wide receivers in the league.”
“If that happens, he should command $30 million per year, or more. He might demand it,” Rosenblatt wrote.
Recent Surge of WR Contracts Have Completely Reset the Market
Based on how the wide receiver market has evolved, Wilson shouldn’t mind waiting until 2025 for a possible extension.
Jefferson just became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a $35 million per year salary. Other receivers that have received new deals this offseason include DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions, Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins, and Nico Collins of the Houston Texans.
These receivers own the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 5, No. 8, and No. 9 spots among the highest-paid players at their position in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
Four receivers in the NFL currently have an annual salary of at least $30 million per season: Jefferson, both Browns and Tyreek Hill.
In the not-so-distant future, several other wideouts should be receiving new deals. That list includes CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals, and Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.
The current market for wide receivers has already exploded in June 2024. Who knows what it’ll look like during the 2025 offseason. A betting man might wager that it’ll be even better a year from now.
The Last Piece to the Puzzle for Garrett Wilson
Wilson reset the record books from a team standpoint. No receiver in Jets history had ever started their career with back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns.
However, from a national media perspective, Wilson hasn’t rung the bell yet. In 2023, he ranked No. 22 in the NFL among pass catchers in receiving yardage (1,042), per ESPN.
It was even worse from a touchdown perspective with Wilson ranking No. 82 in that department.
Those low rankings in those key categories paired with poor quarterback play on the Jets have affected Wilson’s perception as one of the top wideouts in football.
It isn’t an indictment on Wilson, but rather his situation.
Rosenblatt noted he has had three different positional coaches in his three years, two different offensive systems, and a lack of a proper Robin to his Batman.
The missing infinity stone for Wilson to be widely recognized as a top-flight wideout is a superstar season.
A lot of catches, a lot of yards and a lot of touchdowns. That should be a lot easier to achieve by catching passes from Rodgers in 2024.
Wilson is projected to have that type of year and if that comes to fruition he should be well in line to be handsomely rewarded with a fat extension.