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C.J. Mosley (LB)

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.”

Extra Points: Packers, Jets, Chargers, Lions

May 26th, 2019 at 8:35pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Packers have a huge season ahead of them. After an outstanding run of success, things got stale in Green Bay under Mike McCarthy, which resulted in his firing. The team desperately needs a boost of energy, and they’re hoping they found it in new coach Matt LaFleur. The 39-year-old is apparently wasting no time taking charge in his first offseason at the helm, as Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette writes that the young coach is “taking on an enormous load” during OTAs. Dougherty says that LaFleur is hovering around the quarterbacks and coaching them up at every opportunity, which he describes as a notable departure from McCarthy, who left that up to his quarterbacks coach.

LaFleur is apparently sitting in on all the quarterbacks meetings, and Aaron Rodgers importantly is happy with the way he’s being coached up. Dougherty writes that Rodgers “appears to be embracing” LaFleur’s hands-on approach. That’s surely music to the ears of Packers fans, but Dougherty does caution that there’s some level of concern about everything he’s putting on his own plate and how much his devotion to the quarterbacks “will take away from LaFleur’s panoramic view of the team once camp and the season start.” That being said, a reinvigorated Rodgers is by far the most important thing to the team right now, so it certainly doesn’t sound like a bad thing.

Here’s more from around the league on a quiet holiday weekend:

  • The Jets have had a drama-filled offseason, to say the least. Immediately after Mike Maccagnan was fired, reports began trickling out that Adam Gase didn’t want either of the Jets’ pricey free agent acquisitions, running back Le’Veon Bell and linebacker C.J. Mosley. While the reports that Gase didn’t want the team to sign Bell have more or less been confirmed, it’s apparently not true that he didn’t want Mosley, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini writes that Gase “was a strong proponent of signing Mosley,” and notes that Gase and Mosley even share the same agent, Jimmy Sexton. It sounds like the Jets have one less headache to worry about.
  • Chargers pass-rusher Joey Bosa has been a star ever since he entered the league. As a rookie he had 10.5 sacks despite missing the first four games of the season due to a contract holdout, and he’s been dominant off the edge ever since. But the Ohio State product was hobbled by a foot injury that cost him the nine games of last season, and he wasn’t quite the same after he returned. Speaking to the media recently after practice, Bosa conceded that the injury is still bothering him. “It’s just there. It’s just something I notice. It’s been getting better all offseason, so I could definitely see by camp or maybe even next year where it kind of starts fading away,” Bosa said, per Adam Maya of NFL.com. Foot injuries can be tricky, so it’s somewhat alarming that Bosa is still feeling soreness in his foot after this long, but Maya notes he did say it’s feeling “well enough for him to avoid a Lisfranc-type surgery.” This will be a situation to monitor this offseason.
  • Rookie tight ends often don’t play much right away. Tight end is widely regarded as the position that’s hardest to transition to from college to the pros, other than quarterback, and many take time to develop even if they’re drafted highly. It sounds like Lions rookie T.J. Hockenson could be an exception to that rule. Hockenson has looked good during OTAs, according to Tim Twentyman of the team’s official site, who notes that Detroit isn’t going to treat him with kid gloves, writing Hockenson will “see the field early and often.” The Lions got virtually nothing from their tight ends last season so they made it a priority to upgrade this offseason, signing Jesse James and drafting Hockenson eighth overall. It sounds like Hockenson is in line to start in his first season.

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Mosley, Steelers

March 20th, 2019 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a quick look at the AFC North:

  • The Jets landed linebacker C.J. Mosley in free agency, but the Ravens went as high as $14MM/year to keep him in Baltimore, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (Twitter link). Mosley’s new Jets deal, meanwhile, will pay him an average of $17MM/year with $51MM guaranteed.
  • The Steelers restructured the contract of inside linebacker Vince Williams, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The move clears $2.8MM in 2019 cap space for Pittsburgh, but Williams is still due $5.1MM for the coming year. Just last summer, Williams re-upped with the Steelers on a three-year add-on worth upwards of $20MM. In 2018, Williams finished out with 4.5 sacks, 76 tackles, and one interception.
  • Former Jaguars tight end James O’Shaughnessy visited the Steelers this week, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Steelers recently lost Jesse James in free agency, so O’Shaughnessy could be a depth option behind starter Vance McDonald. O’Shaughnessy, 27, set new career highs with 24 catches for 214 yards last season. He still only has one touchdown catch in his four NFL seasons, a 2017 TD against the 49ers.

Contract Details: Ford, Mosley, Crowder

March 16th, 2019 at 10:34am CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted contract details from around the NFL:

Jets To Sign C.J. Mosley

March 12th, 2019 at 8:09am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Jets are making another big splash. Shortly after agreeing to terms with Anthony Barr, the Jets are expected to sign inside linebacker C.J. Mosley to a five-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

The pact will pay Mosley a whopping $85MM, with $51MM in guaranteed money. We knew Mosley was going to cash in, but this is a truly massive number. As Tom Pelissero of NFL Network pointed out in a tweet, Luke Kuechly‘s deal with the Panthers had previously set the market for inside linebackers, with Kuechly making just over $12MM per year. Mosley will have an average salary of $17MM.

When Kwon Alexander, coming off a torn ACL, landed a four-year $54MM deal from the 49ers yesterday, it was a clear sign Mosley was about to break the bank. The acquisition of Mosley will make it easy for the Jets to move on from Darron Lee. We heard last night the Jets were looking to part ways with the 2016 first round pick.

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has been saying for months the team was going to be aggressive in free agency, and they’ve been exactly that. Mosley’s contract is by far the biggest ever for an inside linebacker. Mosley is still only 26, and young players like him don’t hit the open market too often.

He’s made the Pro Bowl in four of his five seasons in the league, and is a great addition to New York’s rebuilding defense. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is remaking the defense in his image, and has added Mosley to his core of safety Jamal Adams, Barr, defensive lineman Leonard Williams, and fellow inside linebacker Avery Williamson. The Jets have another opportunity to upgrade the defense with the third overall pick in this year’s draft.

The Ravens opted not to franchise-tag Mosley, and have now lost several players from their defense. In addition to Mosley, they let linebackers Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith walk, as well as safety Eric Weddle.

Ravens Increase Offer For C.J. Mosley

March 11th, 2019 at 6:34pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Ravens chose not to franchise-tag inside linebacker C.J. Mosley, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want him back. The Ravens are working to retain him and “have sweetened their offer,” according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (Twitter link).

While the Ravens have upped their offer, Zrebiec notes there “is still a gap” between what Baltimore is offering, and the offers from the Jets and potentially more teams. The Jets have been strongly connected to the Alabama product, and we’ve also heard teams like the Browns and Redskins are interested.

Judging by the deal Kwon Alexander landed from the 49ers, Mosley is about to cash in. Mosley is widely thought to be the better player, and Alexander just got four years and $54MM while coming off a torn ACL. In a separate tweet Zrebiec notes that the Redskins’ signing of Landon Collins might’ve diminished their interest in Mosley.

In the same tweet Zrebiec highlights the Colts as a potential suitor for Mosley in addition to the Browns and Jets. He also says it “sounds like Jets have been the most aggressive with the offer.” The 17th overall pick of the 2014 draft, Mosley has made the Pro Bowl in four of his five seasons in the league and is still only 26, so it makes sense why so many teams are interested.

Browns Interested In C.J. Mosley

March 11th, 2019 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

As expected, C.J. Mosley has generated immediate interest during the legal tampering period. In addition to the Jets’ and Redskins’ interest, a Ravens division rival would like to pry the linebacker away from Baltimore.

The Browns are in on the Mosley pursuit, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. They hold north of $68MM in cap space and recently released Jamie Collins, though Cleveland — which has Joe Schobert and Christian Kirksey — is not desperate for a linebacker addition. Mosley, however, is far more accomplished than the Browns’ incumbents.

The four-time Pro Bowler may want to reset the market for non-rush linebackers. Collins’ $12.5MM-AAV deal is no longer the standard, and Luke Kuechly‘s $12.4MM-per-year accord tops the market. Of course, with that deal having come several years ago, it would stand to reason Mosley’s camp would want him to top that price.

With Washington having just authorized a safety-record $14MM-AAV pact for Landon Collins, it can be fairly safe to assume that will be the team’s big-money defensive deal. The Browns have far more cap space than the Redskins, but the Jets hold more than both teams. Eric DeCosta said he believed Mosley would be back in Baltimore; that will be a big test for the first-year GM, with the pursuit heating up.

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