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Status Of 7 Remaining Franchise-Tagged Players

July 3rd, 2021 at 5:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ten players comprised this year’s franchise tag contingent — down from 14 in 2020. However, the Broncos, Cowboys and Giants reached extension agreements with their tagged players — Justin Simmons, Dak Prescott and Leonard Williams, respectively — to leave seven tag recipients unsigned entering July.

With the July 15 deadline to extend franchise-tagged players less than two weeks away, here is where things stand with the remaining members of the group:

WR Chris Godwin, Buccaneers

Rather than tag Shaquil Barrett for a second straight year, the Bucs cuffed Godwin at $15.9MM. The defending Super Bowl champions found room for Barrett and every other notable free agent they had this offseason, going into overdrive in their effort to defend their second championship. Like every other franchise-tagged player this year, Godwin has signed his tender. The former third-round pick has said he wants to stay in Tampa long-term. The Bucs have Mike Evans signed to a now-below-market deal ($16.5MM per year), so it will be interesting to see how they navigate negotiations with his less accomplished (but three years younger, at 25) sidekick.

S Marcus Maye, Jets

Tagged months after the Jets traded Jamal Adams, Maye has not exactly enjoyed a smooth negotiating process. Just before the Jets tagged Maye, his agent slammed the team for a lackluster effort to extend the four-year starter beforehand. The Jets have carried on negotiations since applying the tag and are believed to have been steadfast in this approach, but this has not necessarily translated to progress. These talks are expected to go down to the wire. Maye, 28, not signing an extension by July 15 would keep the Mike Maccagnan-era draft choice on the $10.6MM tag.

OT Taylor Moton, Panthers

While the Panthers’ left tackle position has been one of the toughest to fill over the past decade, Moton has locked down the team’s right tackle post. A 2017 second-round pick, Moton has not missed a game since debuting in Carolina’s lineup in Week 1 of the 2018 season. The Panthers have a new regime in place, but the Matt Rhule–Scott Fitterer duo hopes to extend Moton.

The right tackle market moved this week, with Ryan Ramczyk agreeing to a $19.2MM-per-year extension. Moton, 26, is not a candidate to top that, but he may be primed to fill the gap between the top tier (Ramczyk and $18MM-AAV Lane Johnson) and Jack Conklin‘s $14MM-AAV deal. Moton is attached to a $13.8MM franchise tender.

WR Allen Robinson, Bears

Tagged at a higher price ($17.98MM) than Godwin because of his previous contract, Robinson has been the Bears’ No. 1 option on offense for the past three years. This has not translated to harmony between he and the team. Robinson has expressed frustration with the Bears’ tactics during his lengthy extension talks, which date back to last year, and he at one point surfaced in trade rumors.

This will be the eighth-year veteran’s age-28 season. A long-term Robinson deal would pair well with Justin Fields‘ rookie contract, with no other Bears receiver making even midlevel money, but the former third-round pick did not sound especially confident a deal will be finalized by the deadline.

OT Cam Robinson, Jaguars

This might be the closest to a “prove it” tag in this year’s lot. The former second-round pick has recovered from the ACL tear that cost him 14 games in 2018, starting 30 over the past two seasons. But Robinson, 25, has yet to show he is among the better players at the left tackle position. Without a viable replacement lined up, the Jaguars tagged the Alabama alum at $13.8MM. It would make sense for the Urban Meyer regime to gauge Robinson’s contract-year performance and reassess the matter next year. Holding the most cap space in the NFL ($38MM), the Jags can afford to carry Robinson’s tag figure this season.

G Brandon Scherff, Washington

Washington and its top offensive lineman have been at this for a while. A 2015 first-round pick, Scherff has been eligible for an extension since the 2017 season ended. Instead, Washington has seen another tag situation near the point of no return. The four-time Pro Bowl guard has played on the fifth-year option and the franchise tag, pushing this year’s tag price to $18MM. A third tag is unrealistic, as the Kirk Cousins standoff showed, and no deal this month would push Scherff toward free agency in 2022. The team wants to extend the 29-year-old blocker, but it will almost certainly take a guard-record agreement to do so. Joe Thuney raised the position’s ceiling with a $16MM-AAV deal in March.

S Marcus Williams, Saints

The Saints’ salary cap tightrope walk included a $10.6MM Williams tag, completing an odyssey that began with the team $100MM-plus over this year’s reduced cap. With New Orleans already doing the rare fifth-year option restructure with Marshon Lattimore, a Williams extension would be the easiest way to create more cap room. The team checked the top item off its offeseason to-do list, the Ramcyzk extension, but it may well have either a Lattimore or Williams re-up in its near-future plans.

Part of New Orleans’ impact 2017 draft class, the 24-year-old safety has been a starter from Day 1. Even though Lattimore may be a higher extension priority, the team coming all the way back from $100MM over the cap to use a franchise tag illustrates its view of Williams’ work.

Finding A Zach Ertz Destination

July 2nd, 2021 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Months after Zach Ertz‘s name popped up in trade rumors, he remains with the Eagles. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end is not viewed as likely to be part of this year’s Philly team and did not report for the team’s offseason program. Despite a lengthy delay in this saga, a separation still feels imminent.

Ertz has one season left on the five-year, $42.5MM extension he signed way back in January 2016. The veteran lobbied for a new deal last year, but he and the Eagles could not agree on terms. Those disagreements became rather noticeable as well. Even if some suitors cannot presently afford Ertz’s $12.7MM cap number, which could cause the Eagles to finally release him, the team will likely try to work a trade for a bit longer.

Where will the 30-year-old pass catcher be come Week 1? Here are a few candidates:

Arizona Cardinals

This franchise has not shown a strong interest in bolstering this position in many years, and Kliff Kingsbury — with A.J. Green and Rondale Moore joining DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk — may well opt to deploy more four-receiver sets. That said, the Cardinals’ additions of Green, J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson, Brian Winters and Malcolm Butler illustrate a commitment to adding veterans to help the cause in a loaded NFC West. The Cards, who have Maxx Williams (304 yards in two Arizona seasons) as their top tight end, have not had a tight end surpass 600 yards in a season since moving to Arizona in 1988.

Buffalo Bills

The team most closely connected to Ertz this offseason, Buffalo has not received much from the tight end position in recent years. And the defending AFC East champions have lacked a higher-end receiving threat at this spot for much of its existence. Five Ertz receiving totals would eclipse the best tight end showing (726 yards) in the Bills’ 61-season history. While the Bills’ Stefon Diggs–Emmanuel Sanders–Cole Beasley–Gabriel Davis quartet leaves it well-stocked for aerial targets at present, the tight end position has come up as one the franchise would not mind bolstering.

Dawson Knox led Buffalo tight ends with 288 yards last season; the team lost Tyler Kroft in free agency and has second-year player Tommy Sweeney coming off a season in which he encountered severe COVID-19 issues. With the Bills in position to aim for a Super Bowl berth again, another weapon makes sense.

Indianapolis Colts

With Doug Pederson out of the NFL at the moment, the Colts serve as the reunion spot for Ertz. Carson Wentz played with Ertz for five seasons and helped him set a tight end record with 116 catches in 2018. Frank Reich coached Ertz the previous two years, and the Colts could certainly use another viable weapon — even if they figure to lean heavily on the run game.

Indianapolis re-signed T.Y. Hilton and has 2020 second-rounder Michael Pittman Jr. coming off a promising finish to his rookie season, but the team has not been able to keep injury-prone ex-second-rounder Parris Campbell on the field. Ninth-year tight end Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox combined for just 645 yards last season. The Wentz trade, assuming he stays healthy for most of this season, will cost Indianapolis a first-round pick in 2022. Bringing in his former top target at a low cost would enhance the relocated QB’s comfort level and help justify the lofty investment.

Jacksonville Jaguars

This spot differs from the rest mentioned here, with the Jaguars coming off a 1-15 season and in clear rebuild mode. But Jacksonville drafted Trevor Lawrence and has no proven tight end to pair with him. The team leads the NFL in cap space ($38MM) as well.

Exiting draft weekend, Urban Meyer expressed concern about his team’s tight end depth chart. The Jags drafted Ohio State’s Luke Farrell in Round 5 and did go on to sign Tim Tebow. While this would seemingly not be a desirable spot for Ertz as a free agent, the Jags could make sense as an unorthodox trade destination.

Tennessee Titans

Ertz trade compensation would not approach what the Titans paid for Julio Jones, and even after acquiring the all-time Falcons great, the team was on the lookout for tight end assistance. The Titans lost Jonnu Smith and did not add a notable replacement. The Jones trade shows the Titans are committed to contending this season, even after losing Smith and Corey Davis. Even after a disappointing 2020 season, Ertz would provide a substantial upgrade over Anthony Firkser.

This Date In Transactions History: Browns Select Bernie Kosar In Supplemental Draft

July 2nd, 2021 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL has not held a supplemental draft since 2019; the league canceled the 2021 summer event this week. The July draft has not been especially consequential in a long time, but in the 1980s, it brought some big-name players into the league.

A Browns move 36 years ago today began that run. On July 2, 1985, the Browns ended one of the more intriguing college-to-NFL sagas by selecting Bernie Kosar with the first overall pick in the supplemental draft. The eventful stretch that led the acclaimed quarterback back to Ohio involved a few teams, and it ended up elevating the Browns into an AFC power for the rest of the ’80s.

After their “Kardiac Kids” 1980 season, the Browns regressed for a period. By 1985, they were coming off three sub-.500 seasons in four years. But, in a situation more complex than the ping-pong ball-induced sequence that brought LeBron James to Cleveland in 2003, a northeast Ohioan helped steer the Browns back to contention.

A two-year starter at Miami, Kosar opted for the supplemental draft over the April standard draft. The QB who started on the Hurricanes’ first national champion team was a Cleveland-area native and sought to play for the Browns. But players on the heels of their sophomore seasons, as Kosar was in 1985, were not yet allowed to enter the NFL draft. A summer graduation, however, exposed a loophole in this system. Kosar ended up bypassing the April draft in order to land in Cleveland via the lower-profile supplemental event.

To obtain the first pick in the supplemental draft, the Browns swung a deal with the Bills. On April 9, 1985, the AFC teams agreed on a trade that sent Buffalo’s first overall supplemental pick to Cleveland for the No. 7 overall selection in 1985, a 1986 first-rounder, along with third- and sixth-round choices. The Bills held the top supplemental pick due to their 2-14 1984 season, a record that also gave them Bruce Smith first overall in the April draft. (Possessing then-USFL QB Jim Kelly‘s rights, the Bills were not in play for Kosar.)

The Vikings and Oilers — the teams picking second and third in the regular draft — protested this arrangement, but the NFL let Kosar decide which draft he entered. Kosar did visit the Vikings, who traded up from No. 3 to No. 2 with the Oilers to be in better position to land that year’s top QB prospect, but communicated to them he wanted to play for his hometown team. Minnesota ended up trading back down, to No. 4 overall, and selecting Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman in the April draft. The Browns chose Kosar in July.

Kosar quarterbacked the Browns to the playoffs four times, including his rookie season, taking over Cleveland’s QB1 role that year before breaking through as a full-season starter in 1986. The Browns earned the No. 1 seed in ’86 and rode their stationary quarterback’s 489-yard performance to a divisional-round comeback win over the Jets. John Elway‘s “The Drive” ended the Browns’ run a week later, and a Kosar- and Earnest Byner-led comeback bid in Denver in the 1987 AFC championship game concluded with Byner’s infamous fumble. The Browns lost to the Broncos in the 1989 AFC title game as well and failed to make it back to the playoffs with their popular passer.

The then-Bill Belichick-led Browns released Kosar midway through the 1993 season. He caught on with the Cowboys, filling in for Troy Aikman on multiple occasions en route to Dallas’ Super Bowl XXVIII championship. Kosar retired after the 1996 season. The supplemental draft produced linebacker Brian Bosworth, Hall of Fame wideout Cris Carter, Pro Bowl running back Bobby Humphrey and Pro Bowl receiver Rob Moore in the five years after Kosar’s move.

This Date In Transactions History: 49ers Re-Sign John Taylor

June 30th, 2021 at 2:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wednesday’s Ryan Ramczyk extension notwithstanding, June 30 is not typically a hotbed of NFL activity. But, amid a notable period for the 49ers’ wide receiving corps, one of the better No. 2 wideouts in NFL history inked his final contract on this day 26 years ago.

On June 30, 1995, the 49ers brought back John Taylor. The 49ers previously released Taylor — a move that helped them sign first-round receiver J.J. Stokes — but reached an agreement to re-sign Jerry Rice‘s longtime sidekick two days later. Taylor signed a two-year deal to stay in San Francisco. The then-33-year-old receiver agreed to an incentive-laden pact that included a $300K 1995 salary and a $1.3MM payout in 1996.

Taylor arrived in San Francisco as a third-round pick in 1986, when Dwight Clark was winding down his career alongside Rice. As Rice made his historic ascent, Taylor — a 1980s All-Decade punt returner — became a full-time starter as well. Although he is best known for making a game-winning touchdown reception in the final minute of Super Bowl XXIII, Taylor was not a primary starter during that 1988 season. The Delaware State alum became a first-stringer a year later, when he compiled a 1,000-yard season for a 49ers team that repeated as Super Bowl champs, and remained in this role through the 1994 season — when the 49ers won Super Bowl XXIX. San Francisco changed up its receiver equation in 1995, however.

The 49ers had re-signed Taylor in 1992, after the second of his two 1,000-yard seasons, but saw him dip under 600 receiving yards in 1994. The franchise then traded up 20 spots in the ’95 draft to select Stokes 10th overall. Taylor still started 12 games in 1995 but caught just 29 passes for 387 yards in first-year OC Marc Trestman‘s offense. Stokes outproduced that total as a rookie, though Rice’s then-NFL-record 1,848 yards overshadowed everything else about San Francisco’s offense that season.

The 49ers cut bait on the Taylor contract in 1996, and the Division I-AA success story opted to retire. San Francisco’s post-Taylor plan became complicated after a 1996 Stokes injury. Terrell Owens (Round 3, 1996) seized Taylor’s former gig as Rice’s top wingman; the two played five seasons together. T.O. had a rather notable career in the years that followed as well. Taylor remains in the top 10 in career catches, yards and touchdown receptions in 49ers history.

Top NFL Contracts By Position

June 30th, 2021 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ryan Ramczyk‘s five-year, $96.2MM Saints extension moved the market for right tackles. Jamal Adams appears in line to do the same at safety. With the franchise tag deadline just more than two weeks away, here are the league’s top contracts — by average annual value — at each position:

Quarterback

  • Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs. Ten years, $450MM. Although Dak Prescott joined Mahomes in the NFL’s $40MM-per-year club and signed for $95MM fully guaranteed — compared to Mahomes’ $63MM — the Super Bowl LIV MVP’s uniquely structured contract still tops the league at $45MM on average.

Running back

Fullback

  • Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers. Five years, $27MM. Like he did on his previous San Francisco deal, Juszczyk resides on his own tier for fullback money. His $5.4MM AAV tops everyone else at this position by at least $2MM.

Wide receiver

  • DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals. Two years, $54.5MM. Hopkins’ 2020 Arizona add-on leads all wideouts’ AAVs by more than $5MM. He is signed through 2024.

Tight end

  • George Kittle, 49ers. Five years, $75MM. Kittle’s $40MM in total guarantees tops this position by a wide margin, but Kyle Pitts‘ rookie contract (four years, $32.9MM) now leads all tight ends in full guarantees.

Left tackle

Guard

  • Joe Thuney, Chiefs. Five years, $80MM. The Chiefs’ aggressive offseason on the O-line involved a guard-record pact for the five-year Patriot blocker. While Thuney’s deal tops all guards inked to long-term contracts, Washington’s Brandon Scherff is attached to an $18MM franchise tag.

Center

  • Frank Ragnow, Lions. Four years, $54MM. Ragnow’s $13.5MM-per-year pact topped Corey Linsley‘s recently agreed-upon deal at center. Since his rookie contract ran through 2022, Ragnow is under Lions control through 2026.

Right tackle

  • Ryan Ramczyk, Saints. Five years, $96MM. The fourth-year blocker has inched the right tackle market closer to $20MM. This deal ($19.2MM per year) and Lane Johnson‘s ($18MM) are the only right tackle accords worth more than $14MM annually.

Edge defender

  • Joey Bosa, Chargers. Five years, $135MM. Bosa’s $27MM-AAV deal eclipsed Myles Garrett‘s $25MM-per-year extension. Bosa’s $78MM fully guaranteed figure, however, tops the edge rusher market by $18MM.

Interior defender

  • Aaron Donald, Rams. Six years, $135MM. Donald’s 2018 extension is the oldest deal on this list. The future Hall of Famer is signed through 2024.

Linebacker

  • Bobby Wagner, Seahawks. Three years, $54MM. Wagner’s 2019 re-up can be directly traced to C.J. Mosley‘s Jets deal. Mosley’s $17MM-per-year accord earlier in 2019 changed the off-ball linebacker market. Mosley’s guarantees still lead the league at this position.

Cornerback

Safety

  • Justin Simmons, Broncos. Four years, $61MM. The Broncos locked up Simmons after franchise-tagging him twice.

Kicker

  • Justin Tucker, Ravens. Four years, $20MM. Tucker agreed to his latest Baltimore extension in April 2019.

Punter

Long snapper

  • Reid Ferguson, Bills. Three years, $4MM. Snappers’ stability notwithstanding, teams do not devote much more than league-minimum money to this niche position.

This Date In Transactions History: Raiders Extend OL Gabe Jackson

June 29th, 2021 at 7:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Four years ago today, it looked like Gabe Jackson could be playing for the Raiders for the rest of his career. Of course, as we’ve learned many times, we shouldn’t assume that a player will stick with a team for the entirety of his extension.

On June 29, 2017, the Raiders inked the offensive lineman to a five-year, $56MM deal, a pact that included $26MM in guaranteed money. The deal was expected to keep Jackson with the team through at least the 2022 campaign.

The 2014 third-round was an immediate contributor after joining the organization, and up to the signing of the extension, Jackson had started 44 of his 45 regular season appearances. The Mississippi State product didn’t always grade out as one of the best offensive guards; in 2016, he was only ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 22nd-best player at his position. However, Jackson provided the offensive line with more consistency and continuity, something that was especially important after the organization inked quarterback Derek Carr to a massive extension only weeks before.

With the signing, the Raiders locked themselves into two of the highest-paid offensive guards in the NFL, as the team had previously signed Kelechi Osemele to a five-year, $58.5MM contract. Jackson’s $56MM pact ranked behind only two offensive guards: Bengals’ Kevin Zeitler (five years, $60MM) and Osemele. Jackson was also second to Zeitler’s $31.5MM in guarantees.

After signing the extension, Jackson didn’t see a sudden turnaround in production, as PFF still ranked him as a middling offensive guard. However, Jackson did see a turnaround in his reliability…in other words, he started to miss more and more time due to injuries. He missed nine games for the Raiders between the 2017 and 2019 seasons, and the front office started shopping the lineman during the 2020 draft.

They didn’t find a taker for Jackson, and the veteran managed to appear in all 16 games for the Raiders in 2020, making it the first time the lineman had accomplished that feat since 2016. Still, the Raiders were hoping to somewhat revamp their offensive line this offseason, and we learned in early March that the Raiders were planning on releasing Jackson after he refused a pay cut.

However, Las Vegas found a trade partner at the last second, and the team shipped Jackson to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick (which eventually transformed into Illinois cornerback Nate Hobbs). The Seahawks subsequently extended Jackson to a three-year, $22.58MM deal.

The Raiders did manage to get 55 starts out of Jackson after he signed his new deal, including 40 starts that were played under the extension. Still, the Raiders were surely expecting more when they inked the lineman on this date in 2017.

This Date In Transactions History: Cam Newton Joins The Patriots

June 28th, 2021 at 6:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cam Newton era in New England effectively began one year ago today. On June 28, 2020, we learned that the former MVP was signing a one-year deal with the Patriots. While the contract was officially inked on July 8, we’re going to count today as the one-year anniversary.

Newton dealt with a number of injuries during his final seasons with the Panthers, including a 2018 shoulder relapse and 2019 Lisfranc surgery. After barely playing during that 2019 campaign, the Panthers ended up pivoting to Teddy Bridgewater, making their former first-overall pick expendable. The Panthers were unable to find a trade partner for Newton, and they ultimately cut the veteran in late March. Several months later, Newton finally found a suitor in the Patriots, who signed him to an inexpensive, prove-it deal.

Newton was entering a tricky situation with the Patriots. For starters, he was replacing a legendary quarterback in Tom Brady, and it was going to be a major uphill battle for any new signal-caller to somewhat replicate the production and success of the (then) six-time champ. Plus, Newton was limited to only a pair of games in 2019, and instead of getting a full offseason to fully rehab and learn a new system, he lingered in free agency for more than three months. In other words, Newton wasn’t necessarily put in a position to succeed.

Still, with only Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham standing in his way, Newton predictably earned the starting gig. The veteran missed one game while recovering from COVID, but Newton otherwise saw time in 15 games for the Patriots. While the team had a solid 7-8 record with the 2015 MVP under center, Newton’s numbers were disappointing. He still showed his usual talent on the ground, collecting 592 rushing yards and 12 scores (plus a receiving touchdown), but he only threw for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Following that 2020 performance, many assumed that Newton wouldn’t be in New England in 2021. However, the Patriots ended up re-signing the 32-year-old to a one-year pact that could be worth up to $13.6MM. Plus, following a 2020 season where Newton’s targets were mostly unproven, the team brought in a number of free agent weapons, including Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor, and Kendrick Bourne. This time around, it seems that the Patriots were actually putting their veteran in a position to succeed.

Of course, the difference this time around is that Newton faces some formidable competition from first-round quarterback Mac Jones. While it sounds like the Patriots may initially lean on Newton as their starter, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the rookie takes over if (or when) the veteran struggles.

With a year of hindsight, it’s tough to describe the Patriots/Newton pairing as a success. The two sides have a chance to reverse that narrative in 2021, but there’s a better chance that the veteran eventually finds himself as a backup.

This Date In Transactions History: Chiefs’ Tamba Hali Retires

June 27th, 2021 at 9:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Today marks the three year anniversary of Tamba Hali‘s retirement. The linebacker’s 12-year run with the Chiefs ended earlier that offseason, when the team released him outright. A few months later, he decided against starting over with a new club. 

“I just need to continue to work out and do my music,” Hali said. “I don’t want to focus too much on football. I don’t see myself getting back into football. I see myself being involved with the Chiefs somehow, maybe as a specialist being able to teach the guys. I don’t want to lie to myself. I think the time has come.”

Hali began his 2017 season the PUP list and didn’t do much upon his return. The Liberian linebacker appeared in just five games, made zero starts, and did not record a sack. Clearly, that wasn’t in line with his usual work.

Hali left the Chiefs as the team’s No. 2 all-time sacker, behind only Derrick Thomas. The 2006 first-round pick went on to earn five consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2011-15, notching many of his 89.5 sacks during that stretch. In reality, he should have been a Pro Bowler in 2010, too – that’s when he set a new personal watermark with 14.5 QB takedowns. Unfortunately, his 2016 season wasn’t quite as memorable — Hali nabbed just 3.5 sacks and started only twice.

The 6’3″ edge rusher admitted that he was tempted to return — he was still only 34 and just 10.5 sacks shy of an even 100 sacks. Still, he said he was content with his overall body of work. With that, Hali took to the studio and started training jiu-jitsu under the instruction of Rener Gracie. Now, after rolling around with the likes of Lyoto Machida, Hali has a purple belt to go with the rest of his accolades.

PFR Originals: Patriots, Bucs, Broncos

June 27th, 2021 at 2:17pm CST by Zachary Links

In case you missed it, here’s a look back at some of our recent originals:

Trade Candidate: Jets LB C.J. Mosley

June 26th, 2021 at 11:24am CST by Ben Levine

When C.J. Mosley inked a five-year, $85MM deal with the Jets during the 2019 offseason, the linebacker was expected to lead the team’s defense for at least the next half-decade. He’s certainly looked the part of a defensive stalwart through two games with the organization, collecting nine tackles, a pick-six, and a fumble recovery.

However, Mosley suffered a groin injury that ultimately sidelined him for all but two games during the 2019 season. The veteran ended up opting out of the 2020 campaign, meaning he’s only seen times in two games through two years. The Jets certainly haven’t received a return on their investment, and rival teams believe they may be able to make a move for the former Pro Bowler…we learned back in March that the front office had received calls on Mosley.

To be clear, those reports indicated that the Jets were receiving the trade calls, not necessarily initiating the trade calls. Plus, there haven’t been many developments over the past three-plus months. However, it’s still easy to see a path where the Jets justify moving their former major free agent acquisition, and it’s easy to understand why a rival team would take a chance on the veteran.

From the Jets standpoint, a Mosley trade would be mostly financial. Since he sat out the 2020 season, Mosley still has four years and $56MM left on his deal, including $22MM guaranteed (this remaining commitment is a big reason why Mosley won’t be released any time soon). The Jets aren’t necessarily hurting for money, but as the front office looks to introduce the Zach Wilson/Robert Saleh era, it’d make sense for them to move some future money with the hopes of loading up during future offseasons.

Further, the Jets have a bit of a logjam at the position after the team signed middle linebacker Jarrad Davis to a $5.5MM deal this offseason. The Jets defense is expected to play in a 4-3 scheme, meaning one of Davis or Mosley will either find themselves on the bench or playing (somewhat) out of position at outside linebacker. Sure, Davis probably isn’t the caliber of player who should be pushing a player like Mosley out of the lineup…but we also have no idea what to expect from a player who’s barely seen the field over the past two years.

If the Jets aren’t willing to take a risk on Mosley, why would another team? Well, for starters, the financial ramifications wouldn’t be as severe as you think. The 29-year-old’s 2021 cap hit is only $6MM, so while the future commitments may cause some teams to pause, you could easily see a contender talking themselves into Mosley’s upside (especially if the linebacker has a solid preseason). Plus, the trade costs surely wouldn’t be that high, meaning a team wouldn’t be compromising their future in a deal.

For what it’s worth, Mosley recently indicated that he has no worries about his ability to come back following a two-year absence:

“Yeah, I don’t have any doubts in myself,” he said during an appearance on The Official Jets Podcast (via the team website). “I mean, [Rob Gronkowski] took two years off [only one] and won a Super Bowl, so it is what it is. I’m here, so we’ll let the play do the talking.

“When you’re out for a while, you’re always in your head, thinking, ‘When I get back, how’s it going to feel? Am I going to be able to move like I used to?’ I feel great.”

Mosley has a chance to be a top comeback candidate, or he could emerge as an albatross contract. While the Jets will surely prefer to see the former option, they could ultimately reduce their risk, pivot more toward the future, and trade the linebacker over the next few months.

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