Age: 25
Free Agency: 2031 (Void)
Accrued Seasons: 3
- Height: 6'3"
- Weight: 193
- College: Cincinnati
- Entry: 2022 Draft, Round 1, #4 overall (Jets)
- 2025 Salary Cap Charge: $625,000 (0.22% of cap)
- 2025 Cash Payout: $625,000 (0.21% of spending)
- 2025 Cash to Cap Ratio: 1.00
- Contract Value: $120,400,000 ($30,100,000 APY)
- Fully Guaranteed Money: $40,500,000
- Contract Ranking: 1/301 at CB
Current Contract
(Extension, signed 2025)
(📝: indicates contract trigger occuring during that year)| Year | Age | Base Salary | Prorated Option Bonus | Per Game Roster Bonus | Workout Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | Cap % | Dead Money & Cap Savings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | $1,250,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $625,000 | 0.2% | |||||
| 2026
March 17: 2027 salary becomes guaranteed
| 26 | $5,250,000 | $4,000,000 | $0 | $250,000 | $25,500,000 | $9,500,000 | 3.2% | |||||
| 2027
March 17: 2028 salary becomes guaranteed
| 27 | $13,953,473 | $6,000,000 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $20,953,473 | 6.7% | |||||
| 2028 | 28 | $19,200,000 | $6,000,000 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $26,200,000 | 8.0% | |||||
| 2029 | 29 | $29,100,000 | $6,000,000 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $36,100,000 | -- | |||||
| 2030 | 30 | $29,100,000 | $6,000,000 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $36,100,000 | -- | |||||
| 2031
February 20: Contract voids on the 5th day waiver period
| 31 | Void | $2,000,000 | Void | Void | Void | $2,000,000 | -- | |||||
| 2032 | 32 | Void | $0 | Void | Void | Void | $0 | -- | |||||
| Total | $97,853,473 | $30,000,000 | $3,000,000 | $1,250,000 | $25,500,000 | $131,478,473 | |||||||
Contract Notes
Ahmad Gardner signed a 4 year extension with the New York Jets worth $120.4 million in new money with $40.5 million fully guaranteed at signing and $84.65 million in total guarantees. Gardner received a $13.75 million signing bonus and has a $20 million option bonus in 2026 and $10 million option bonus in 2027.
Cash Flows
| Old Money | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Due | $250,000 | $9,733,527 | $5,063,000 | $24,953,473 | $20,200,000 | $30,100,000 | $30,100,000 |
| Running Cash | $9,983,527 | $15,046,527 | $40,000,000 | $60,200,000 | $90,300,000 | $120,400,000 |
Career Earnings: $42,559,325
Career APY: $14,186,442
Contract History
| Team | Contract Type | Status | Year Signed | Yrs | Total | APY | Guarantees | Amount Earned | % Earned | Effective APY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | Drafted | Extended | 2022 | 4 | $33,450,798 | $8,362,700 | $33,450,798 | $28,184,325 | 84.3% | $9,394,775 |
| Jets | Extension | Traded | 2025 | 4 | $120,400,000 | $30,100,000 | $40,500,000 | $0 | 0.0% | $0 |
| Colts | Extension | Active | 2025 | 4 | $120,400,000 | $30,100,000 | $40,500,000 | $0 | 0.0% | $0 |
Earnings By Team
| Team | Yrs | Salary | APY | Paid on Cap | % Paid on Cap | Paid as Dead Money | % Paid as Dead Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 3 | $42,559,325 | $14,186,442 | $22,807,362 | 0.0% | $19,751,963 | 0.0% |
| Colts | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.0% | $0 | 0.0% |
Season History
| Year | Team | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Option Bonus | Roster Bonus | Per Game Roster Bonus | Workout Bonus | Guaranteed Salary | Cap Number | Cap % | Cash Paid | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Jets | $705,000 | $5,376,963 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $705,000 | $6,081,963 | 2.9% | $22,212,852 | ||
| 2023 | Jets | $870,000 | $5,376,963 | $0 | $1,355,491 | $0 | $0 | $2,225,491 | $7,602,454 | 3.3% | $2,225,491 | ||
| 2024 | Jets | $985,000 | $5,376,963 | $0 | $2,760,982 | $0 | $0 | $3,745,982 | $9,122,945 | 3.5% | $3,745,982 | ||
| 2025 | Colts | $1,250,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $625,000 | 0.2% | $625,000 | ||
| 2026 | Colts | $5,250,000 | $0 | $4,000,000 | $0 | $0 | $250,000 | $25,500,000 | $9,500,000 | 3.2% | $25,250,000 | ||
| 2027 | Colts | $13,953,473 | $0 | $6,000,000 | $0 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $20,953,473 | 6.7% | $24,953,473 | ||
| 2028 | Colts | $19,200,000 | $0 | $6,000,000 | $0 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $26,200,000 | 8.0% | $20,200,000 | ||
| 2029 | Colts | $29,100,000 | $0 | $6,000,000 | $0 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $36,100,000 | -- | $30,100,000 | ||
| 2030 | Colts | $29,100,000 | $0 | $6,000,000 | $0 | $750,000 | $250,000 | $0 | $36,100,000 | -- | $30,100,000 | ||
| 2031 | Colts | $30,100,000 | $0 | $2,000,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,000,000 | -- | $0 | ||
| 2032 | Colts | $30,100,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | -- | $0 | ||
| Total | $160,613,473 | $16,130,889 | $30,000,000 | $4,116,473 | $3,000,000 | $1,250,000 | $32,176,473 | $154,285,835 | $159,412,798 | ||||
Statistics
| Year | Games Played | Games Inactive | Snaps | Tackles | Negative Plays | Interceptions | Fumbles | TD | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injured | Healthy | Defense | Special | Solo | Assist | Sacks | Yards | TFL | QB Hits | Pass Def. | INT | Yards | Forced | Rec. | Yards | |||
| 2022 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 98.0% | 20.0% | 51 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 92.4% | 2.1% | 41 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 72.1% | 12.5% | 36 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 71.7% | 0.3% | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Valuation Diamond
The diamond is a scatterplot graph that visualizes the relation of the player's APY (in green) and performance (in blue, as measured by OTC's Valuations) to the rest of the league at his position. To understand how to read the diamond, read this explainer.
| OTC Valuation | APY | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | $12,635,000 | $30,100,000 |
| Injury Adjusted | $12,635,000 | $30,100,000 |
Weekly Valuation Trends
The chart below illustrates the trend of the player's weekly OTC Valuations (in blue) from the most recent season, using APY (in green) and, if applicable, cash that is due to the player in the next season (in red) as benchmarks. Weeks not plotted indicate that the player was inactive or on a bye.
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