The New York Jets ponied up big money on Monday afternoon, as it was announced that the team was inking wide receiver Garrett Wilson to a four-year, $130 million contract extension. The move locks up the soon-to-be 25-year-old, and makes him the fifth-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL on an annual basis.
Is he worth the investment?
Wilson Now One Of The Highest Paid WRs In The NFL
The numbers say yes. After being drafted with the 10th overall pick in 2022, Wilson has had one of the best starts to a career of any wide receiver in league history. He is just one of five players to ever notch 1,000+ yards and 80+ catches in his first three seasons, with the others being big time names and contributors. Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., and Michael Thomas are the only ones to achieve the feat before him.
Garrett Wilson is one of just five players in NFL history to record 1,000+ receiving yards and 80+ receptions in each of his first three seasons.
The others:
🏈Ja'Marr Chase
🏈Justin Jefferson
🏈Odell Beckham Jr.
🏈Michael Thomas— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 14, 2025
During the 2024 NFL season, Wilson posted statistical marks of 101 catches, 1,104 yards, and 7 receiving touchdowns, all of which were career highs. The 7 scores were the same amount that he notched in his first two seasons combined.
He has done it all amidst quarterback instability. Wilson caught passes from Zach Wilson, Mike White, and Joe Flacco during his rookie season, and his second year featured the infamous Aaron Rodgers injury in the opening game of the season. There was more cohesion in 2024 as Rodgers started all 17 games, but the Jets are again onto a new QB for the coming season, and Wilson will have to build chemistry with new faces once again.
Where Does Wilson Rank In Terms Of Annual Value?
The new contract puts Garrett Wilson in the conversation with some of the top wideouts in the NFL in terms of pay grade. The $32.5 million per year valuation makes him the 5th-highest paid WR in the league, behind only Chase, Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and DK Metcalf. He is the first receiver ever to average more than $31 million after just three seasons in the league.
Highest paid receivers in the NFL on a per-year basis:
🏈Ja’Marr Chase: $40.25M
🏈Justin Jefferson: $35M
🏈CeeDee Lamb: $34M
🏈DK Metcalf: $33M
🏈Garrett Wilson: $32.5M
🏈A.J. Brown: $32M— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 14, 2025
More than just the talent, the Jets are looking for consistency going forward. They are under a new regime in 2025 with rookie head coach Aaron Glenn now at the helm, and Wilson’s deal marks the first significant long-term commitment of the new era.
Wilson figures to be the focal point of New York’s offense in 2025, with the other two projected starting wide receivers being Josh Reynolds and Allen Lazard.
