C.J. Mosley (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
A week after the Jamal Adams trade, the New York Jets will be without linebacker C.J. Mosley this season.
The New York Jets made an inevitable move by trading Jamal Adams on July 25. Now their defense has taken another hit, with ESPN’s Rich Cimini reporting linebacker C.J. Mosley has opted out of the 2020 season due to family health concerns.
Mosley spent his first five NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens, earning a Pro Bowl nod four times. He signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the Jets last offseason, but he only played two games last season before landing on IR with a groin injury.
Cimini added, as is the case with any player who opts out this season, Mosley’s contract will toll to next year. That means he’ll still have four years and $56 million left on his contract. If he has health concerns related to COVID-19, Mosely is in a better position than most to opt out without fear of job security or financial repercussions.
How will the Jets replace C.J. Mosley?
Avery Williamson missed all of last season with a torn right ACL, and he was placed on the active/PUP list this week. Offseason speculation he’d be cut seems to have faded, and if he’s healthy has shown he can be very productive (120 total tackles, three sacks and six pass breakups for the Jets in 2018).
Otherwise, the Jets have Neville Hewitt, James Burgess, Blake Cashman and Patrick Onwuasor to fill out the depth chart at inside linebacker. Burgess (80 total tackles) and Hewitt (75) are the team’s top two returning tacklers (first and tied for second on the team respectively), and Hewitt had three sacks (third on the team) last year. There’s no replacing what a healthy Mosley brings to the table, but the Jets do have ample depth to fill his absence.