Sauce Gardner contract: How much will Jets CB earn in 2023?

In the 2022 NFL Draft, the New York Jets selected Cincinnati's Sauce Gardner fourth overall.

Gardner was the first of three players taken by the New York team in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. The other two players were Florida State defensive end Jermaine Johnson and Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

The Jets claims that Gardner signed his rookie contract more quickly than any other first-round pick in the last 40 years. Gardner's four-year rookie deal, which is completely guaranteed, is valued at $38.7 million and comes with a $25.3 million signing bonus.

Gardner will have a base salary of $870,000 in 2023, roster bonus of $1,355,491, $7,602,455 cap hit and $27,368,838 dead cap value.

The 2022 draft class's top CB was largely regarded to be the 22-year-old Cincinnati Bearcats football player. Gardner concluded the 2021 season with three sacks, three interceptions, four passes defended, 40 tackles and five tackles for loss. He also assisted Cincinnati in securing a spot in the College Football Playoff.

As the recipient of the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in February, Gardner has been doing his best to live up to expectations that come with being selected in the first round. In his first season in the league, he only allowed two touchdowns, and quarterbacks will now be less inclined to pass on him given his track record.

However, Gardner cannot rely solely on his accomplishments to date. He needs to keep developing and moving forward as he tries to solidify his position as one of the best defensive players in the league.

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Why is Ahmad Sauce Gardner called Sauce?

Sauce Gardner is adamant about living up to his nickname, and there are various tales around how he came to adopt the "Sauce" moniker.

In the past, Gardner has said that his aptitude on the field even as a young athlete stemmed from his time playing small league football.

A1 was Gardner's original moniker, but one day his coach started calling him "A1 Sauce Sweet Feet Gardner." He obviously liked the name, so it stuck. Sauce Gardner then simplified it to what it is today and gave the name an identity.