Jets Approached LB C.J. Mosley About Reworking Contract

Jets LB C.J. Mosley said this past week the team has reached out to his agent about reworking his deal to lower his cap hit for the 2023 season, per Brian Costello.

“They talked to my agent. I’m not really concerned or worried about it too much,” Mosley said. “I come here to work every day, focused on getting better and trying to win a championship and being the best player I can be. Whatever happens, happens. It hasn’t been a concern.”

Mosley is set to count $21.476 million against the cap this season, which currently is the highest on the roster. The Jets have been reworking deals to make room for QB Aaron Rodgers, who will likely have his deal restructured again at some point this offseason. 

The Jets could do a simple restructure and save more than $11 million in cap space thanks to void years that are on the deal from restructuring Mosley last offseason. They could also push to do something similar to what they did with DE Carl Lawson, who accepted a pay cut in exchange for guaranteeing the remainder of his salary. 

Pay cuts usually only work if teams have the threat of releasing a player otherwise. Mosley is a key starter who played well last season and not someone the Jets would necessarily be able to replace easily.

However, he’s due $17 million in base salary and would make nowhere near that amount if cut at this point in the offseason. Expectations are also high for the Jets right now, so there’s an incentive for Mosley to stick around and not end up on a team that could be less competitive. 

Mosley, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Ravens back in 2014. He played out the final year of his four-year, $8,788,002 rookie contract before the Ravens picked up his fifth-year option for the 2018 season.

Mosley made a base salary of $8,718,000 for the 2018 season before signing a five-year, $85 million contract with the Jets that included $51M guaranteed.

In 2022, Mosley appeared in all 17 games for the Jets and recorded 158 total tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, one interception and seven pass defenses. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 30 linebacker out of 81 qualifying players.