NY Jets: C.J. Mosley opts out of the 2020 NFL season

NY Jets’ star linebacker C.J. Mosley has decided to opt-out of the 2020 NFL season.

The NY Jets‘ defense was just dealt a serious blow with the announcement that star linebacker C.J. Mosley has opted out of the 2020 NFL season.

As first reported by ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Mosley made his decision due to “family health concerns.” Mosley becomes the second Jets player to opt-out after backup offensive lineman Leo Koloamatangi announced his decision last week.

Obviously, Mosley’s absence will be felt much, much more.

The 28-year-old missed all but two games last season after signing a massive five-year, $85 million contract in the offseason that made him the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.

After missing just three games over the first five years of his career, no one would have predicted that Mosley would run into injury trouble in New York. But a nagging groin injury rendered him useless for all but essentially one half of football in Week 1.

However, with an offseason of rehab behind him, the hope was that Mosley would return in 2020 and provide a huge boost to a defense that felt his absence last season.

Unfortunately, now that won’t be the case.

The NY Jets will feel the absence of linebacker C.J. Mosley in a big way.

The loss of Jamal Adams could prove to be seriously detrimental to the Jets’ defense, but many hoped that Mosley would alleviate that concern. But now with Mosley sidelined, the Jets will have to turn to other options.

Avery Williamson‘s health becomes increasingly more important as the veteran linebacker missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Now with Mosley out, his status may be more important than any other player on defense.

Aside from Williamson, the Jets signed one of Mosley’s former teammates in Baltimore in Patrick Onwuasor. Onwuasor could be asked to start Week 1 after signing a fully-guaranteed one-year, $2 million contract in the offseason.

Elsewhere, the likes of Neville Hewitt, Blake Cashman, and James Burgess will all return after filling in for Mosley and Williamson last year. Hewitt is the best bet to see playing time on defense, but don’t count out either Cashman or Burgess making an impact as well.

Mosley is the latest and most high-profile NFL player to opt-out of the 2020 season with concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continuing to arise.

The Jets will now have to scramble to solidify their defense after losing their two best players in the matter of around a week.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is sure to have his work cut out for him.