Tag: c.j. mosley

C.J. Mosley calls Jets return ‘a breath of fresh air’

After missing almost two full seasons, Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley is ready for his return.

After missing almost two full seasons, C.J. Mosley is ready for his return.

“It’s been a breath of fresh air, that’s the best way to put it,” the Jets linebacker recently said on The Official Jets Podcast. “I’m happy to be back in the building with my teammates, to be around the locker room and the new energy.”

Mosley returns to a very different team than the one he left last season after opting out because of the coronavirus pandemic. Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich run the show now with a new 4-3 scheme, and the Jets added a couple of new pieces to all levels of the defense. That is part of the excitement for the veteran linebacker.

“What we’re doing now is building a great foundation,” he said, “setting this team on course to stack up wins and get to where we want to go.”

Mosley has seen almost no game action since joining the Jets before the 2019 season. A groin injury sidelined him for all but 114 defensive snaps that year, and he opted out in 2020. Mosley isn’t worried about how missing all that time will or could affect his game, though. Reports from minicamp and OTAs said Mosley slimmed down and looked fast in the middle of the defense.

He compared his return to that of Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski, who retired from the NFL in 2018 only to return in 2020 and win a Super Bowl with Tom Brady the same season.

“Yeah, I don’t have any doubts in myself,” he said. “When you’re out for a while, you’re always in your head, thinking, ‘When I get back, how’s it going to feel? Am I going to be able to move like I used to?’ I feel great.”

The defense Mosley rejoins is now older and younger at the same time. Stalwarts like Quinnen Williams and Marcus Maye improved dramatically over the past two seasons and the Jets added veterans like Carl Lawson, Vinny Curry, Jarrad Davis and Lamarcus Joyner to beef up important positions.

But Joe Douglas also drafted young players at linebacker and cornerback – players who will undoubtedly play key roles on defense. Rookie linebackers Hamsah Nasirildeen and Jamien Sherwood could even find themselves lining up next to Mosley in the middle of the defense if they perform well in training camp.

“There’s going to be a lot of disruption, that’s the best way to put it,” Mosley said. “Guys coming off the ball, it’s just going to make our job easier once they get penetration, once we start playing we can really let our guys go to make plays on the back end.

“I feel our group is young, not experienced, but there’s so much raw talent. We can mold them, fit right into the defense. We’ll let our play do the talking.”

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6 Jets with plenty to prove this summer

Training camp and the preseason will provide the opportunity for six Jets players to prove themselves before the summer is up.

Robert Saleh’s first training camp as Jets head coach is still a little over a month away from kicking off, but there is already plenty of intrigue surrounding his personnel with summer underway.

New York’s roster features a good amount of players who are either locked into starting jobs or, at the very least, a spot on the 53-man roster. It also consists of numerous players who will arrive at One Jets Drive in July prepared to prove plenty to a whole lot of different people.

Which Jets players have the most to prove once training camp and the preseason begin? Here are six to keep an eye on as the summer progresses and camp inches closer.

Takeaways from Robert Saleh’s press conference

See what Jets HC Robert Saleh had to say ahead of the NFL draft.

Robert Saleh sounded excited for his first draft as an NFL head coach.

He spoke to reporters Thursday a week before the draft and shook off the idea the Jets will wallow in misery again. He also praised his offensive staff and showed appreciation for what Joe Douglas has already done to reshape the Jets for the 2021 season.

The Jets still have a long way to go, but Saleh remains positive about the team’s future as it heads into a pivotal draft.

Here are eight takeaways from his press conference.

Joe Douglas banking on former first-round picks in 2021 free agency

The Jets signed three players – Corey Davis, Jarrad Davis and Sheldon Rankins – who haven’t fully lived up to their potential yet.

Joe Douglas prides himself on his ability to evaluate talent. It’s why he refuses to overspend in free agency and why he prioritizes the draft above all else.

But this offseason, Douglas took a very obvious approach with the majority of the top players he signed. He bet on potential and scheme fit more than past production. Three of the top five players Douglas signed this spring were former first-round picks: wide receiver Corey Davis (No. 5 pick in 2017), inside linebacker Jarrad Davis (No. 21 in 2017) and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (No. 16 in 2016).

All three are talented players, but none have lived up to their lofty draft expectations for a variety of reasons. However, all flashed ability at various stages of their career that drew the eye of Douglas and the Jets.

The Titans drafted Corey Davis to be their No. 1 wideout, but a hamstring injury plagued his rookie season. He caught just 34 balls for 375 yards and no touchdowns in 11 games. Davis rebounded over the next three years and averaged 57.5 receptions, 825.3 yards and 3.7 touchdowns per year, but he never turned into the true No. 1 receiving threat the Titans wanted him to become.

Douglas doesn’t need Davis to be the next Julio Jones, though. He needs Davis to be a phenomenal possession receiver on the outside in Mike LaFleur’s offense, as well as someone who can block and complement Denzel Mims and Jamison Crowder.

As for the other Davis, Douglas signed him because of his speed at linebacker. He’s a disruptive player who fell out of favor in Detroit after his sophomore season when the Lions switched to Matt Patricia’s defense. Davis won’t be tasked with taking over for C.J. Mosley in the middle of the defense – unless, of course, the Jets trade Mosely – but he will be a good role player who can pressure the quarterback and defend the run.

Rankins might have been the most interesting signing by Douglas so far this offseason. The former Saint has 17.5 career sacks, but only three in the past two seasons. Rankins looked great at times in New Orleans, but his injury history and liability against the run turned him into a role player more recently. He hasn’t produced much since 2018 thanks to Achilles and knee injuries and was forced to miss four games in 2020.

Douglas, however, saw an intriguing opportunity to fully fortify Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s pass rush. Rankins will play alongside Quinnen Williams, John Franklin-Myers and Carl Lawson on the defensive line, with Foley Fatukasi rotating in for running situations.

Douglas spent $60 million between the two Davis’s and Rankins. That’s a lot of money, but if any or all three live up to the potential they were drafted for, then Douglas paid bargain prices for first-round talent. It’s a risk worth taking considering the amount of money other teams dolled out for players coming off career years, too.

If Douglas is truly the adept talent evaluator he believes – and Saleh and his coaching staff are capable of developing and fostering talent – then these moves may have been the Jets’ smartest moves of the offseason.

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Jets have considered re-signing Patrick Onwuasor

The Jets are looking at bringing back linebacker Patrick Onwuasor despite him barely playing in 2020.

Patrick Onwuasor played just eight total snaps for the Jets in 2020, but New York is still interested in bringing him back for another season, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

Onwuasor spent most of last season on injured reserve after the Jets signed him to a one-year, $2 million deal last offseason. A non-contact knee injury in training camp sidelined the linebacker until mid-November and a hamstring injury in Week 11 knocked him out for the rest of the season. Onwuasor didn’t play a single defensive snap.

Bringing Onwuasor back would continue to add insurance to a linebacker group decimated by injuries last year. The Jets already added Jarrad Davis in free agency to shore up the position and Onwuasor would fortify the group behind presumed starter C.J. Mosley.

Onwuasor tallied 234 tackles, 9.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in four years with the Baltimore Ravens. He would be a solid fit in Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s defense considering his skills as an off-ball linebacker who can play in coverage.

Jets have considered re-signing Patrick Onwuasor

The Jets are looking at bringing back linebacker Patrick Onwuasor despite him barely playing in 2020.

Patrick Onwuasor played just eight total snaps for the Jets in 2020, but New York is still interested in bringing him back for another season, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

Onwuasor spent most of last season on injured reserve after the Jets signed him to a one-year, $2 million deal last offseason. A non-contact knee injury in training camp sidelined the linebacker until mid-November and a hamstring injury in Week 11 knocked him out for the rest of the season. Onwuasor didn’t play a single defensive snap.

Bringing Onwuasor back would continue to add insurance to a linebacker group decimated by injuries last year. The Jets already added Jarrad Davis in free agency to shore up the position and Onwuasor would fortify the group behind presumed starter C.J. Mosley.

Onwuasor tallied 234 tackles, 9.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in four years with the Baltimore Ravens. He would be a solid fit in Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s defense considering his skills as an off-ball linebacker who can play in coverage.

Instant analysis of Jets agreeing to terms with LB Jarrad Davis

The Jets got an experienced depth piece for their defense without breaking the bank.

The Jets’ first strike in free agency wasn’t a big splash, but it could pay dividends for Gang Green’s defense.

New York agreed to a one-year deal with former Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis. The deal is worth up to $7 million.

Davis, the 21st overall pick in 2017, hasn’t looked great over the past two years in Detroit but is still a sensational talent. He looked out of place in Matt Patricia’s defense in 2019 and 2020 after tallying eight sacks, 196 combined tackles, 14 quarterback hits and eight defended passes during his first two years in the league. This past season, Davis only played in 29 percent of the Lions’ defensive snap and started just four games with half a sack and 46 combined tackles.

Right now, it looks like Davis would back-up C.J. Mosley at middle linebacker unless the Jets trade Mosley after fielding trade offers. Davis, who is much more of a pass-rush middle linebacker than a coverage or run-stopping one, could also move to the outside in a 4-3 scheme. Either way, it makes more sense to use Davis situationally in Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s 4-3 defense, which thrives off quicker players at the second level.

The deal is an inexpensive dart throw by Joe Douglas to see if his defensive staff can resurrect a former first-round pick. If it works out, the Jets have a great depth piece in the middle of their defense. At worst, though, Davis provides some experience behind Mosley, something the Jets sorely lacked the past two years when Mosley was on the shelf.

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The best pick from each NFL draft class in Ravens history

We take a look back at each of the Baltimore Ravens’ drafts to find the best selection the team made.

The Baltimore Ravens have long been considered one of the best teams in the league when it comes to scouting, drafting, and developing players. The Ravens have been a part of 25 NFL drafts since being founded in 1996 and have earned their reputation by finding some real gems at a variety of rounds. In that time, Baltimore has drafted 31 players who have been to a Pro Bowl, 14 players who were named to the All-Pro team, and three players currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

However, not every pick or even draft year has been outstanding for the Ravens, with some selections having clearly been better than others. But instead of looking at which players were the best overall, we want to break it down year-by-year to find the best player Baltimore grabbed in every draft throughout franchise history.

Let’s kick it off with that inaugural 1996 season . . .

Joe Douglas talks Jets coaching search, firing Gase, Darnold’s future

Here are the main takeaways from Joe Douglas’s season-ending press conference.

Joe Douglas had a chance to share his outlook on the Jets’ future on Tuesday as he gets set to embark on his first head-coaching hire.

Douglas talked about how difficult it was for the Jets to fire Adam Gase, the traits he wants in a new head coach, Sam Darnold’s future and some other offseason goals.

The Jets’ general manager was disappointed in the team’s performance this season, but Douglas is excited for what the future holds heading into the offseason.

Jets LB Blake Cashman doubtful to return vs. Bills

Blake Cashman is doubtful to return to Sunday’s game against the Bills with a groin injury.

And then there were two healthy inside linebackers.

Jets sophomore Blake Cashman went down early in the first quarter in the team’s opener against the Buffalo Bills. The Jets listed Cashman as doubtful to return with a groin injury.

Harvey Langi will take Cashman’s spot at inside linebacker alongside fellow starter Neville Hewitt.

The Jets came into Sunday’s game with only three healthy inside linebackers. Avery Williamson was held out of Sunday’s contest with a hamstring injury that he suffered in practice this past week.

Meanwhile, Patrick Onwuasor is out for at least a month after he suffered a knee injury. C.J. Mosley opted out of the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns.