How C.J Mosley"s opt-out impacts Jets salary cap, and what they can do with that extra money

[joewilly12]

How C.J. Mosley’s opt-out impacts Jets’ salary cap, and what they can do with that extra money

Updated 8:06 AM; Today 8:06 AM 

Linebacker C.J. Mosley opted out for the 2020 NFL season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here's how that impact the New York Jets' salary cap.AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

 

 

 

By Chris Ryan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

When the two-year anniversary of C.J. Mosley signing a five-year, $85 million contract with the Jets hits in March of 2021, the linebacker will have appeared in just two games in New York.

Mosley opted out of the 2020 NFL season on Saturday due to family health concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

After a groin injury held Mosley to just 114 snaps in 2019, the Jets will once again be tasked with replacing the defensive playmaker in the front seven, and now the team must do that without Jamal Adams’ help in the secondary following last week’s trade.

Mosley’s contract will slide back one season because of the opt out, so when he reports in 2021, he will still have four years left on his deal. The Jets already paid him a $1.5 million bonus, which will count against the team’s cap in 2020, but $16 million will come off the books until next season. Mosley will receive a stipend (either $350K or $150K) while opting out.

 

The Jets already had $21,214,502 in projected cap space prior to Saturday, according to Over the Cap, and subtracting Mosley’s contract will balloon that number to more than $37 million. That would be second highest in the NFL, behind only the Cleveland Browns.

 

So what should the Jets do with that extra space before the 2020 season begins? Here’s a look at four options.

 

1) Nothing: Mosley’s contract will be back on the books in 2021, so the Jets need to be in position to make sure they have flexibility when he returns. With the cap number still in limbo for the 2021 season due to the pandemic, it might be prudent just for the Jets to avoid making a big splash to add a big name, especially after losing Mosley and Adams in the span of a week.

Joe Douglas said he had no plans on punting on the 2020 season after trading with Adams. The Jets’ chances of competing got significantly harder when they lost their two best defensive playmakers. Now’s not the time to irresponsibly use cap space just to gain a slight edge in 2020.

 

2) Sign Logan Ryan (or another corner): The Jets added Pierre Desir in free agency, but the cornerback depth chart is still very much a work in progress. Plus, rookies Bryce Hall and Shyheim Carter currently on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, and it’s unclear when they’ll be ready to report to training camp. Former New England Patriot (and Rutgers alum and New Jersey native) Logan Ryan is still available as a free agent. Morris Claiborne, Ross Cockrell and Darqueze Dennard are also available. Even a one-year deal for one of them could help the Jets add to the position for the short-term before figuring out a long-term solution in the 2021 offseason.

 

3) Sign a wide receiver: The Jets have three certainties at wide receiver in 2020: Breshad Perriman, Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims. Beyond them, the rest of the depth chart is still very much up in the air, and the Jets could sure use some insurance and experience beyond their top three. Demaryius Thomas is still a free agent, and given the Jets’ experience with him last season, a reunion could make sense. Former Chicago Bears receiver Taylor Gabriel or Washington wideout Paul Richardson could also be cheap depth options.

 

4) Sign Jadeveon Clowney: The Jets reportedly had no interest in Clowney, even after new safety Bradley McDougald went to work recruiting him. Maybe that interest changes now that Mosley is out for 2020. Clowney can’t directly replace Mosley, who plays inside linebacker. But the edge rusher would certainly be an upgrade in the front seven, and it would help Gregg Williams work his magic to keep the defense competitive.

[kdels62]

Oy. This article is wrong. Mosley was paid a roster Bonus and his prorated signing bonus for the year. He is due $7.5M in salary that will be pushed to next year. Meaning we save $7.5M this year and $10M next year. We’ve essentially split Mosley total pay this year into two smaller cap hits over 2 years.

[joewilly12]

28 minutes ago, kdels62 said:

Oy. This article is wrong. Mosley was paid a roster Bonus and his prorated signing bonus for the year. He is due $7.5M in salary that will be pushed to next year. Meaning we save $7.5M this year and $10M next year. We’ve essentially split Mosley total pay this year into two smaller cap hits over 2 years.

By Chris Ryan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

[kdels62]

15 minutes ago, joewilly12 said:

By Chris Ryan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

It’s still wrong.

https://overthecap.com/jets-lb-cj-mosley-reported-to-opt-out/amp/

Mosley’s original cap hit represents the sum total of a guarantee salary and his roster bonus that was already paid out. He doesn’t return the money he already received. 

 

 

 

[JohnnyLV]

Vyncint Smith is also almost a lock. he came on strong last year and has great value in specials.

[LRJets]

Use the money to throw a "52nd Anniversary Without A Superbowl Appearance" party.

 

 

[BROOKLYN JET]

Johnson & Johnson Pretzel Company

[joewilly12]

15 minutes ago, LRJets said:

Use the money to throw a "52nd Anniversary Without A Superbowl Appearance" party.

 

 

 

[bitonti]

dont worry

woody has plans for the xtra cap space 

he always does

[jetsjets]

Can any of the available cap carryover to next season?

[BurnleyJet]

I’d gladly help with saving some money on CJ Mosley salary, for some Clowney 1 year deal.

[ECURB]

37 minutes ago, jetsjets said:

Can any of the available cap carryover to next season?

If they advance some of the guys money this year on extensions. Would have actually worked perfect for Jamal ironically 

[JohnnyLV]

Can we use the cap savings we got to offset the cap hit of trading him?

[choon328]

3 hours ago, kdels62 said:

Oy. This article is wrong. Mosley was paid a roster Bonus and his prorated signing bonus for the year. He is due $7.5M in salary that will be pushed to next year. Meaning we save $7.5M this year and $10M next year. We’ve essentially split Mosley total pay this year into two smaller cap hits over 2 years.

Idk who wrote this article but the entire thing about Mosley and the cap was incorrect.  Straight up garbage

[choon328]

1 hour ago, jetsjets said:

Can any of the available cap carryover to next season?

All of it can

[varjet]

The way I see it Mosley helped the Jets very little from a cap perspective.  They year they save $7.5mm, but that money is owed next year, and his $8mm guarantee for 2021 is now guaranteed for 2022.  At least that is a guarantee and not a roster bonus, so Mosley has to show up ready to play in 2021 and 2022 to be paid. 

This is my crude math, but according to OTC the Jets could have cut Mosley in 2021 for a $5mm cap savings and $12.5 dead money.  I presume that now Mosley would not cuttable in 2021 because the $7.5mm in cap cost deferred to 2021 would increase his overall dead money-resulting in a $2.5mm cap hit to cut him.   Trading would be a different story.  

I think this 2020 season for the Jets is already an exhibition one.  

Based on everything we have seen, would JD sign Marcus Maye to a long term contract?  I don’t think so.

 

 

[Jetsfan80]

41 minutes ago, varjet said:

The way I see it Mosley helped the Jets very little from a cap perspective.  They year they save $7.5mm, but that money is owed next year, and his $8mm guarantee for 2021 is now guaranteed for 2022.  At least that is a guarantee and not a roster bonus, so Mosley has to show up ready to play in 2021 and 2022 to be paid. 

This is my crude math, but according to OTC the Jets could have cut Mosley in 2021 for a $5mm cap savings and $12.5 dead money.  I presume that now Mosley would not cuttable in 2021 because the $7.5mm in cap cost deferred to 2021 would increase his overall dead money-resulting in a $2.5mm cap hit to cut him.   Trading would be a different story.  

I think this 2020 season for the Jets is already an exhibition one.  

Based on everything we have seen, would JD sign Marcus Maye to a long term contract?  I don’t think so.

 

Correct, though if we had designated him as a post-June 1 cut, that dead cap hit would have dropped to $9.5M and we'd have saved $8M.  That now gets pushed to 2022, making it the earliest we can cut him.

If we could somehow find someone to trade Mosley to in 2021, the dead cap hit would be just $6M, though we'd only get minimal cap savings.  But there's not a chance any team in the league would help us out like that.