The Jets got a jump on free agency by locking up one of their own prospective free agents Monday.

The team signed guard Brian Winters to a four-year extension. The team did not reveal how much the deal was for, but a source said Winters will get about $8 million per year.

Winters was scheduled to become a free agent in March. He was clearly the Jets’ top priority among their own free agents, and general manager Mike Maccagnan was quick to lock him up.

The 25-year-old Winters has developed into a steady lineman for the Jets. He started 13 games at right guard this season before finishing the year on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

The Jets selected Winters in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Kent State. He replaced Vlad Ducasse as the team’s starting left guard in Week 5 of his rookie year. Winters started the first six games of the 2014 season at left guard before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee.

Winters shifted to right guard in 2015 after the team signed James Carpenter to play on the left side. He replaced an injured Willie Colon at right guard and made 10 starts. Winters began to improve after moving to the right side.

It was crucial for the Jets to hold onto Winters because of so much uncertainty on their offensive line. He is a young, ascending player who gives them some stability on an unstable line. It is unclear if center Nick Mangold or right tackle Breno Giacomini will be back in 2017. Both could be salary-cap casualties. There is virtually no chance of left tackle Ryan Clady coming back. The Jets will save $10.5 million by moving on from Clady this winter.

If Winters had hit the open market, he would have been one of the top guards available. The Jets avoided any bidding wars for his services by striking early.