Two of the NFL’s best shutdown cornerbacks will be on opposite sidelines Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, and Sauce Gardner says he has followed all aspects of Patrick Surtain II’s career with the Broncos.

Gardner, a first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons with the Jets, knows the time will come for a big payday, just as it did for Surtain, the league’s one, earlier this year joined a year earlier.

“I always and generally watch films. He always shows up there. He’s a dog,” Gardner said of Surtain before Thursday’s practice at Florham Park. “He’s been doing this for a little minute. It’s the highlight of every week, even if the ball isn’t being thrown his way. He’s definitely a lockdown cornerback.

“And he just deserved to be paid. He definitely deserves that.”

Surtain, a two-time Pro Bowler in his first three seasons in Denver, signed a four-year extension in early September worth $96 million with $77.5 million guaranteed – making him the highest-paid defensive back in the game.

Gardner has a contract through 2025 and a club option for a fifth year of his original four-year, $33.45 million rookie contract after being selected third overall by Cincinnati in 2022.

He’s not eligible for an extension until after this season, as are his two fellow Jets ’22 first-rounders: wide receiver Garrett Wilson and injured defensive end Jermaine Johnson.

“No, I’m not even thinking about it,” Gardner said when asked about his contract situation. “I tried not to think about it. As much as I think sometimes, I’m like, ‘Let me stop thinking about this, all that stuff.’

“At the end of the day, we have something special here, and I can’t always preach that I have to take everything day by day and week by week when I think about individual things for myself. We have a pretty good group of guys, coaches, trainers, everyone here, and I can’t take any of it for granted.”

Asked how special he thinks the Jets (2-1) can be this season with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers back at quarterback, the 24-year-old Gardner said he occasionally has to force himself to stay in the moment .

“Sometimes I do (think about it), but then I always come back to where my feet are,” Gardner said. “It’s only week 4. … I’ve been doing it every week, talking to myself, little things, just to make sure I stay focused.

“The moment I start thinking too far ahead, I think: What can I do now to help my team? Be it that I also keep myself busy with films or help myself prepare even better for the game.”

Gardner actually hasn’t intercepted a pass since November 6, 2022, as a rookie against the Bills, which is 26 games, but that’s largely a testament to his coverage skills.

Gardner is the only cornerback since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons. He joins Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor and Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons as the only defensive players to achieve this feat.

Surtain also had just one pick in his last two seasons, including none in the Broncos’ 1-2 start.

“They’re both elite competitors, strong on the line of scrimmage, elite football IQ in terms of understanding strains and route-running ability and all that stuff,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday. “Both of them, if they get their hands on you, you’re pretty much dead on the road, but two elite players, two guys that are fun to watch.”

“And in my opinion they’re really a luxury, if you can put these guys in virtually no coverage and let the rest of the team play football and do something else, then that’s a luxury.”

When asked if he would face Surtain this weekend, Rodgers called him “one of the best players in the league at any position.”

Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was Denver’s head coach in 2022.

“First of all, Pat is such a great person. “Just the way he handles himself, he’s a real professional,” Hackett said. “Even when I was with him and he was younger – I guess not much younger – but my goodness, he was like a 10-year vet. And then you take his size, his speed, his strength. And he doesn’t panic. He is so confident in what he does. He’s just a great all-around football player.”