It’s the end of an era, as the New York Jets decided to release legendary five-time Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley after five seasons with the club (six if you include 2020, when he opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic). A first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Mosley has been a staple of the Jets defense since 2024 and remained a productive player when on the field. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just four games last year, and the rebuilding Jets determined that keeping a 33-year-old linebacker with a $12.78 million cap hit wasn’t in the team’s best interest.
The Jets have released LB and leader CJ Mosley.
— Ian Rapoport (@rapsheet1.bsky.social) March 12, 2025 at 6:46 PM
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While Mosley’s age and injury history are somewhat concerning, the Alabama product is still a reliable player when on the field. Last year, the veteran recorded 17 tackles in just four games and finished with an impressive 74.7 PFF grade. One year earlier, Mosley started in all 17 games while recording one interception, 152 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, and an 82.9 PFF grade, the sixth-best mark in the league. The linebacker won’t earn another massive deal, but the following four teams should kick the tires on the veteran and see what he can bring to the table.
New York Jets Release C.J. Mosley – 4 Teams Could Sign Him
The Best Next Teams
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens narrowly missed a trip to the AFC Championship Game despite never having a full arsenal of talent on defense. The team lost more free agents than they could possibly replace, which led to issues at the linebacker position. Roquan Smith is still an above-average starter, but third-round pick Trenton Simpson could not replace Patrick Queen. Following his Jets release, the Ravens could target C.J. Mosley and once again form the league’s best linebacker duo, assuming the Alabama product is healthy. Nobody loves linebackers more than the Ravens, and Baltimore needs all the help they can get to overcome the loaded AFC.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Franchise icon Lavonte David is returning for one more season, but the former second-round pick cannot do it all on his own. Tampa Bay has made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, but they need more veteran talent if they want to make it past the NFC Divisional Round for the first time since 2020. Baker Mayfield is playing his best football, but he needs more support to get this team to the promised land. Mosley and David aren’t the youngest players in the league by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re a great short-term duo.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are attempting to retain Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and Joe Burrow, which means they will have an elite offense for years on end. However, trying to win every game by scoring 40 points isn’t a sound strategy, and they must do something to improve the defense. Following his Jets release, C.J. Mosley would probably welcome the opportunity to play with a true contender.
Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young came to life down the stretch last year, but his performance did not translate to wins because the defense couldn’t stop anyone. The Panthers invested most of their free agent dollars on fixing the defensive side of the ball, but there’s still work to be done. C.J. Mosley is the perfect fit for this defense and could provide the team with an above-average starter in the short term while helping the team chase a division title in the weak NFC South.
Main Photo: Steve Roberts – Imagn Images
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