Jets Trade Rumors: C.J. Mosley Receiving Interest; LB Opted Out of 2020 Season

Linebacker C.J. Mosley has been the subject of trade calls received by the New York Jets, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Mosley opted out of the 2020 season and has $22 million guaranteed on his contract, but the four-time Pro Bowler counts for just a $6 million hit against the cap in the upcoming season, Pelissero reported. 

Mosley signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the Jets in 2019, but he has only played two games with them. In his first year on the team, he suffered a groin injury. 

His decision to opt out of the season was motivated by concerns for his family amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"I've got to look out for my family, too, so sometimes you got to make that small sacrifice that some people might not understand right now," he said in August, per Mark Inabinett of AL.com. "But when you come out on top, everybody's going to be on your side cheering for you."

He said he planned to use his time away "to make sure I'm mentally and physically the best person I can be so I can be that leader I know I can be." 

In considering his ceiling, there's plenty to look at from his first five years in the league. The Baltimore Ravens drafted him with the No. 17 pick out of Alabama in 2014, and he earned his first Pro Bowl selection as a rookie after starting all 16 games. He earned three more of those selections from 2016-18. 

But he hasn't played since September 2019, so it could be a high-risk, high-reward situation for any team willing to take the leap. Ditching the major contract would set the Jets up for salary-cap clearance down the line, since they would save more than $50 million over the next few years, per Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports. 

Through 79 games, the 28-year-old has 588 tackles (43 for loss), 32 quarterback hits, 8.5 sacks and 10 interceptions.