C.J. Mosley (LB) - Pro Football Rumors

C.J. Mosley Cleared For Football Activities

June 10th, 2020 at 3:22pm CST by Rory Parks

Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley told reporters today that he has been given a clean bill of health and continues to expect that he will be a full participant in training camp (Twitter link via Connor Hughes of The Athletic). Mosley underwent surgery in December to remedy the groin/abdominal injury that cost him all but two games of the 2019 campaign, and it sounds as if his recovery has gone smoothly.

Mosley signed a massive five-year, $85MM free agent contract with New York last offseason, when former GM Mike Maccagnan was still running the show. New GM Joe Douglas eschewed such splashy signings in his first full free agent cycle, but Douglas will surely be happy to have Mosley anchoring the middle of his team’s defense.

Mosley, who will turn 28 on June 19, earned his payday after a very strong performance with Baltimore over his first five years in the league. The former first-round pick racked up four Pro Bowl nods during that time, and though he has his weaknesses in coverage, his instincts, tackling ability, and intelligence help to make up for that. He was also quite durable with the Ravens, playing in (and starting) 77 of a possible 80 regular season games, so the Jets are hoping last year’s injury was a blip in the radar.

Though Gang Green does not look like a playoff contender just yet, the way that Douglas is handling the construction of the club has generated some optimism. A healthy Mosley will go a long way towards re-establishing the Jets as a legitimate threat.

In 2018, his last full season, Mosley tallied 105 tackles, five passes defensed, and an interception that sealed a Week 17 win for the Ravens and clinched a playoff berth.

Jets Notes: Mosley, Bell, Flacco

May 10th, 2020 at 10:16am CST by Rory Parks

Jets safety Jamal Adams remains a trade candidate, but count linebacker C.J. Mosley as a high-profile member of the defense that wants Adams to stick around.

“[Trading Adams] would be a crazy move,” Mosley said (via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). “First of all, he’s one of the leaders on the team. … To have that presence in the secondary, a guy that can make plays in the passing game and also plays in the backfield — in the box — that’s always exciting.”

Mosley himself — who played in just two games in his first year with Gang Green after signing a massive free agent contract last offseason — said he feels great and expects to be at full health for training camp (assuming there is a training camp, of course).

Now let’s take a look at a few more Jets-related items:

Another big-name player who looks like a trade candidate is running back Le’Veon Bell. Bell disappointed in his first season with the Jets, and many believe he will be released after the 2020 campaign, which would allow the club to realize a significant cap savings with a fairly minimal dead money charge. But if the Jets look like non-contenders at the trade deadline, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv expects them to put Bell on the trade block in the hopes of recouping some sort of draft compensation for him.
The Jets addressed one of their biggest needs in the first round of the draft by adding massive Louisville LT Mekhi Becton. Becton may be more raw than some of his fellow LT prospects, but he also has a tremendously high ceiling, and he could be protecting Sam Darnold‘s blind side right away. However, free agent acquisition George Fant hopes to fill that role in 2020. Per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Fant wants to play on the left side, though the former Seahawk also indicated he is willing to play RT if necessary (Twitter link). “Right now I’m just ready for an opportunity,” Fant said.
GM Joe Douglas signed WR Breshad Perriman in free agency and added a high-upside receiving prospect in Denzel Mims in the draft, but Brian Costello of the New York Post believes the Jets could look into re-signing Demaryius Thomas. Thomas, 32, wants to continue his playing career, and though he is nowhere close to the player he once was, he proved himself to be a strong locker room presence in 2019 and could be a good mentor for Mims.
Veteran QB Joe Flacco may not be recovered from his neck surgery until late August or mid-September, but Cimini believes he would be a good fit for the Jets. In the same piece linked above, the ESPN scribe says New York must add a veteran backup for Darnold, and Douglas — who championed Flacco as a member of the Ravens’ staff in 2008 — could take a look at the former Super Bowl MVP.
Betty Wold Johnson, the mother of Jets owners Christopher Johnson and Woody Johnson, has passed away at the age of 99, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. Though Betty Johnson did not have a formal role with the team, she was considered the club matriarch and was beloved by players and execs.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Brady, Mosley

January 26th, 2020 at 11:59am CST by Rory Parks

We heard at the end of December that the Ravens are prepared to slap pass rusher Matt Judon with the franchise tag if they cannot work out a long-term deal with him, but recent comments from head coach John Harbaugh suggested Judon could be suiting up elsewhere in 2020. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic says Baltimore may be disinclined to use the tag, as it would take up a big chunk of their cap and could alienate the emotional and outspoken Judon.

On the other hand, Judon is the only proven pass rusher on the team, and there’s no guarantee the Ravens can win a bidding war for one of this year’s top FAs or land a player at the bottom of the first round of the draft who can make an immediate impact, so GM Eric DeCosta will have to carefully weigh a number of factors.

Let’s round up a few other AFC items, starting with several more nuggets out of Baltimore:

The Ravens and veteran CB Jimmy Smith have mutual interest in a reunion, per Zrebiec. However, if Baltimore brings back Smith, it’s unlikely that CB/S Brandon Carr also returns. Meanwhile, the Ravens will almost certainly cut safety Tony Jefferson.
Regardless of what they do with Judon, the Ravens will have to add three or four starting-caliber players to their front seven, so Zrebiec expects the team to focus on those areas heavily in the draft, and he fully expects DeCosta to draft a WR or two.
Add Jay Glazer of The Athletic to the list of pundits who believe a Tom Brady–Raiders partnership makes sense. Like others, Glazer thinks the Chargers are an obvious non-Patriots landing spot, but given the international presence that the Las Vegas outfit is expected to have, both Brady and the team would stand to benefit from a Sin City marriage.
In a recent interview with Eddie Paskal of the team’s official website, Raiders GM Mike Mayock said he believes the move to Las Vegas will help the club attract top free agents, even those not named Brady. The fact that Nevada does not have a state income tax will obviously be appealing, as will the sleek new stadium and the general excitement surrounding the franchise. Mayock also noted that he will look to add wide receiver help this offseason.
Jets LB C.J. Mosley had to undergo groin/abdominal surgery about six weeks ago, but he expects to be ready for the team’s offseason program this spring, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. One of last year’s biggest free agent fish, Mosley played in just two games for Gang Green, and he has started a vegan diet in the hopes of giving himself an edge.

Jets Place C.J. Mosley On IR

December 3rd, 2019 at 3:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have placed linebacker C.J. Mosley on injured reserve, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Mosley inked a five-year, $85MM deal with the Jets in the offseason but, so far, has played just two games in green.

For a while now, there has been talk of season-ending surgery for Mosley and his groin/abdomen injury. Now, it appears he’ll be going under the knife, even though he tried hard to avoid that scenario.

“If I can do anything to avoid ending my season, I’m going to try it,” Mosley said in November. “That’s really the main reason why I got the shot. I have a 50-50 chance. I’d rather do that than cut my body open. That was the thinking on that. … Worst-case scenario: I’ll have to get surgery if (recovery from the PRP injections) next week doesn’t go well.”

Mosley’s cap number spikes from $13MM to $17.5MM next year on a deal that includes $43MM in fully guaranteed money. It was a record-breaker for off-ball linebackers and the Jets hope it won’t be a backbreaker for them as they look to reshape their defense yet again.

To take his place on the roster, the Jets turned to another ex-Raven: defensive back Bennett Jackson. The 2014 draft pick was waived by Baltimore this week, shortly after he made his long-awaited NFL debut.

C.J. Mosley Considering Surgery

November 22nd, 2019 at 4:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Time is running out for C.J. Mosley to return to the Jets this season. The high-priced linebacker has missed all but two of the Jets’ 2019 games, and surgery could be on tap soon.

The sixth-year defender underwent a platelet-rich plasma procedure recently and is hoping that will stimulate his recovery from a groin/abdomen injury to the point he can return without going under the knife. But Mosley said if the injury does not show much improvement in the next two weeks, when he will attempt to do more on-field work, he will undergo season-ending surgery.

“If I can do anything to avoid ending my season, I’m going to try it,” Mosley said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “That’s really the main reason why I got the shot. I have a 50-50 chance. I’d rather do that than cut my body open. That was the thinking on that. … Worst-case scenario: I’ll have to get surgery if (recovery from the PRP injections) next week doesn’t go well.”

The Jets reshaped the off-ball linebacker market this offseason by signing Mosley to a five-year, $85MM deal. He played in Week 1, but this injury sidelined him for weeks afterward. When he returned in Week 7 against the Patriots, he aggravated the malady and was informed he would need at least five weeks to heal. It seems unlikely Mosley will be back during that timetable, and with the Jets at 3-7, the team may decide to shut down its highest-paid player.

Mosley’s cap number spikes from $13MM to $17.5MM next year. The former Ravens first-round pick received $43MM in fully guaranteed money but is obviously behind on his effort to justify the Jets’ investment, though he did return an interception for a touchdown in his first game with the team.

Latest On Jets’ C.J. Mosley

October 28th, 2019 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets will be without linebacker C.J. Mosley for the next five or six weeks, head coach Adam Gase told reporters (Twitter link via Kimberly Jones of NFL.com). For now, the veteran will try to avoid surgery, but he’ll be re-evaluated towards the end of his estimated recovery timetable to determine next steps.

The Jets inked Mosley to a five-year, $85MM deal this offseason. So far, that deal hasn’t panned out. Thanks to a groin injury, Mosley missed every game from Weeks 2-6. He returned for the Jets’ Week 7 drumming at the hands of the Patriots, but that only made the issue worse.

Now, the four-time Pro Bowler is looking at another extended absence. At minimum, he’ll miss games against the Dolphins, Giants, Redskins, Raiders, and Bengals. It’s possible that he’ll be back to face the Dolphins in a second matchup between the AFC East’s worst teams, but the Jets could opt to keep him on the sidelines if they are completely out of the playoff picture.

Mosley’s contract pays him an average of $17MM/year with $51MM guaranteed in total. Practically speaking, the aggressive cash flow of the deal will not allow the Jets to escape the deal until sometime after the 2021 season, when they can release Mosley to save $15.5MM against $3MM in dead money.

In some positive Jets news: quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to play through his left thumb injury. That means he’ll be under center for the Jets’ Sunday afternoon contest against the Dolphins in Miami.

Jets’ C.J. Mosley Set For Return

October 17th, 2019 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

At long last, the Jets will have C.J. Mosley back in action. The linebacker has been out since Week 1, but he says he’ll suit up on Monday night to face the Patriots.

The Jets signed Mosley on a five-year, $85MM deal this offseason, with the idea that he would anchor the front seven. Unfortunately, a groin injury kept him off the field for weeks, but he’s finally set to play and, hopefully, show the form that made him a four-time Pro Bowler.

The Jets managed to upset the Cowboys without Mosley on Sunday and they’ll look to keep things rolling against their bitter rivals. Last time out against the Patriots, the Jets lost 30-14. This time around, they’ll have quarterback Sam Darnold under center and Mosley on the other side of the ball, though oddsmakers still have them as ~9 point underdogs.

No Timetable For Jets’ C.J. Mosley

October 1st, 2019 at 10:08am CST by Zachary Links

This offseason, the Jets handed linebacker C.J. Mosley a five-year, $85MM contract to anchor their defense. So far, however, they’ve only seen him in action once, and it’s not clear as to when they’ll see him on the field again.

Mosley has yet to practice at full speed after injuring his groin last month, Manish Mehta of the Daily News writes. With that in mind, Mosley’s status is uncertain heading into this week’s game against the Eagles, and perhaps beyond this week.

“Running straight ahead felt pretty good,” Mosley said. “Cutting and those type of motions are still…up in the air. That’s the part where I can’t really test it out because, if I hurt it more, then it will set me back more. That’s been the tricky part. Just figuring out how to try to test that full-speed motion without damaging it more.”

Mosley is just one of several injured Jets players. On the other side of the ball, the Jets are still awaiting word on the status of Sam Darnold, who was not cleared for activity on Monday.

The hapless Jets are winless through three games and their situation might not improve when they face the Eagles on Sunday.

Injury Notes: 9/20/19

September 20th, 2019 at 10:53am CST by Rory Parks

Here are the latest significant injury-related notes from around the league:

Marshall Newhouse, whom the Patriots signed last week, will serve as the club’s starting left tackle until Isaiah Wynn returns, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com (via Twitter).
As expected, Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson will not play in Week 3, but the club is still optimistic about the availability of Alshon Jeffery and Dallas Goedert, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com tweets.
Buccaneers LB Devin White will not play this weekend, per Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard is out of the concussion protocol and will play in Week 3 per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (via PFT). Rookie QB Daniel Jones will be making his first start, so Shepard’s presence will be especially helpful.
The Seahawks are getting closer to full strength, as both WR David Moore and defensive end Ezekiel Ansah are expected to play in Week 3, per Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk. We had already heard that Ansah was likely to make his Seattle debut this weekend, but Moore’s return is earlier than expected, even after we learned at the end of August that he would avoid IR.
Top Jets defenders C.J. Mosley and Quinnen Williams are not expected to play this week, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. The Week 3 outlook is also bleak for WR Demaryius Thomas and LB Jordan Jenkins.
Tyler Kroft‘s Bills debut may be put on hold for awhile longer. Kroft was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, but as Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes, Buffalo HC Sean McDermott told reporters that Kroft injured his ankle in Thursday’s practice and will undergo further evaluation.

Adam Gase Talks Front Office, Bell, Darnold

May 27th, 2019 at 9:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Adam Gase was named as the Jets’ new head coach back in January, and we’re confident that the 41-year-old had no idea how the next few months would unfold.

While the team seemingly did a nice job of utilizing their draft picks and abundance of cap space, their front office is in a bit of turmoil. The organization moved on from general manager Mike Maccagnan earlier this month, and Gase subsequently earned the interim GM tag. Since that time, the head coach has made several notable roster moves, including his decision to move on from a pair of former draft picks (tight end Jordan Leggett and linebacker Darron Lee).

Gase recently sat down with Albert Breer of SI.com to discuss the organization’s search for a new GM, his outlook for the season, and his thoughts on some of the team’s notable free agent additions. The entire article is worth a read, but we’ve compiled some relevant soundbites below:

On his role in finding a replacement for Maccagnan:

“Christopher [Johnson]’s making the decision. There are a couple of us that are trying to help put the right type of guys in front of him. And the biggest thing, you’re looking for a guy that has leadership qualities. … [But] that has to be both of us [as GM and coach]. We both have to do it. We got to work together to accomplish that. It’s been a while—eight years since they made the playoffs. It’s been a while.

“There are a lot of people here that haven’t experienced that yet.”

On the Jets signing free agent linebacker C.J. Mosley:

“His reputation is no secret around the NFL. People know. Eric Weddle actually texted me when we were in free agency and laid it out—‘Do whatever you gotta do to get this guy, this guy is a stud.’ [Weddle] had just signed with L.A., and it was great to get confirmation on the things we’d already heard.”

On second-year quarterback Sam Darnold:

“When you watch him just throw, anyone can watch him throw and go, ‘that guy can throw the football. I think the side that I didn’t know as much, and I’ve seen it since I’ve been here, is how competitive he is as far as learning football. He wants to be as good as he can be. He wants to be a great player. And you can tell by his work ethic, that’s what he wants to do. He’s not just talking the talk.”

On the addition of running back Le’Veon Bell, who Gase was reportedly against signing:

“I think he’s very motivated to do well and help this team win. And I think the more people keep talking, the more he keeps putting his head down and working. For me, I’ve combed through a lot of the things he’s done in Pittsburgh to make sure I really understands what he loves doing, and make sure we do a good job of building this offense, because it’s very fluid and flexible, it’s chameleon-like.”