Jets’ Garrett Wilson knows big payday could come with another elite season

This NFL offseason was filled with news of wide receivers across the league getting big paydays.

Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaylen Waddle and Nico Collins all received contracts that are among the top-10 richest for wide receivers in NFL history.

Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson has seen this.

The 2022 first-round pick is eligible for a contract extension after this season.

Has he dreamed about that big contract when he sees these other deals?

“I see all of it,” Wilson said Tuesday as the Jets reported for training camp. “I don’t look at it as far as that can be coming for me. I look at it as I’ve got to go make that happen.”

Wilson, who turned 24 Monday, knows he has a chance to join that group of top receivers, especially with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback. Wilson caught 95 passes last year despite the team’s revolving door at quarterback.

“I’ve got the opportunity to join an elite group of guys,” Wilson said. “That’s who gets that type of money is an elite group of guys, guys that are part of teams that win games because of them and are difference-makers every single time they are on the field. I’ve got to go do it. I’m excited because if you do what you think you can do there’s a great conversation going on for it at this time. That’s not how I’m motivated, but I’m not going to sit here and act like I don’t see it.”

Wilson said he feels more comfortable in his second season with Rodgers at quarterback and Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator.

That has allowed him to start studying defenses more.

“There’s always an element of understanding, for me a cerebral guy that I like to think of myself as when it comes to football, there’s film study from years past and all the looks that Aaron has got previously with different coordinators because we’ll probably see them again,” Wilson said.

He said all the reps he had with Rodgers last offseason and again this year have him playing faster.

“Once you understand, you play at a different speed and stop thinking so much and just play,” Wilson said.

Wilson has focused on getting faster and stronger this offseason.

“When I first got here, I wasn’t strong enough,” Wilson said. “I could skate on some things because of what I do offer but that year took a toll on me physically. I had to find a way to get bigger, get stronger. It’s also just a mental toll that it takes on you. … You’ve got to find a way to attack it some way different every day and make sure you’re attacking, attacking, attacking because it can get repetitive.”