Tag: CJ Mosley

Breaking down Jamal Adams’ reported contract demands

Jamal Adams doesn’t just want to be the highest-paid safety, he wants to be the highest-paid Jets player and defensive player.

Jamal Adams aspires to be at the top of his game. Now, he wants to be paid like it.

It has long been clear that Adams wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid safety, which would see him making more than the $14.6 million annual salary Eddie Jackson earned earlier this offseason. But, prior to asking for a trade, Adams reportedly also wanted to be the highest-paid member of the Jets and one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL. That would put Adams’ per-year average between Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley’s $17 million and Bears edge rusher Khalil Mack’s $23.5 million.

Those are absurd numbers for a safety.

Adams is swinging for the fences. But asking the Jets, or any other team, to shell out that kind of money is almost laughable. It shouldn’t be a big surprise Adams compares himself to the best players, though. When the Jets fielded offers for Adams at the 2019 trade deadline, he got angry and said, “the Rams don’t take calls on Aaron Donald… the Patriots don’t take calls on Tom Brady. That’s where I hold myself, in that regard.”

Adams is good. He’s just not Aaron Donald good. Adams has 12 career sacks in three seasons. Donald had 12.5 sacks in 2019 alone.

Even more, his position is not valued in the NFL. The top 17 highest-paid defensive players are all either defensive linemen or linebackers and the top six are all adept pass rushers. That’s an attribute every team covets in today’s pass-happy NFL and why Browns’ defensive end Myles Garrett will likely become the next 2017 first-round pick to earn a long-term extension before Adams, the sixth overall pick that year. Adams can rush the passer – he blitzed the 10th-most times this past season with 90 – but he only finished with 6.5 sacks.

Cornerbacks are even paid more than safeties. The Eagles’ Darius Slay – the highest-paid defensive back – ranks 18th in average annual salary at $16.7 million, while Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones ranks 20th at $16.5 million. Jackson’s top safety contract ranks 33rd. Adams would need to eclipse all three of those players to reach his desired mark. 

This isn’t to say Adams couldn’t be the exception to the norm. He’s a bonafide stud safety and is definitely one of the best defensive players in the league. He proved in 2019 he can make plays all over the field after he tallied 6.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for a loss, seven batted balls and two forced fumbles. 

Oddly enough, Adams’ contract demands sound eerily similar to fellow Jet Le’Veon Bell, who held out the entire 2018 season looking to become one of the highest-paid offensive weapons in the NFL. Bell didn’t just want running back money – a notoriously devalued position, too – he wanted wide receiver money after proving his ability as a dual-threat running back in Pittsburgh. Similarly, Adams likely wants to be paid like a defensive back and a pass rusher after his second consecutive Pro Bowl season and first All-Pro nod.

All of these desires could be a ploy to force the Jets to trade him, though. Adams, who still has two years left on his rookie contract, reportedly won’t ask for an extension from a select collection of teams, according to Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. That lends credence to the theory he just doesn’t want to play for the Jets anymore after a nine-month period of hostility between the two sides full of trade rumors and minimal contract talks. Adams’ wish list includes the Cowboys, Ravens, Eagles, Chiefs Texans, Seahawks, 49ers and Buccaneers – all of which are poised for successful 2020 seasons.

Only a few of those teams could reach Adams’ contract demands, so it looks like Adams wants one of two things: Either to be paid like a top defensive player or to play for a top contender. Adams could get both if the Jets get sick of dealing with his negotiation tactics, but it would be surprising for any team to shell out top-dollar for a safety with two years left on his contract. However, a team that is one player away from competing for a Super Bowl could jump at the opportunity to acquire a young star like Adams. 

Maybe that’s all he wanted all along.

Michigan State football position group breakdown: Wide receivers

What we know and don’t know about MSU’s pass catchers going into the 2020 season.

The point of this series of blog posts is pretty straight forward; to examine what we do and don’t know about each position group on the Michigan State football team.

It may seem hard to believe, but the college football season is–currently–scheduled to kick off in about three months. Time flies when you’re stuck inside. Whether or not Michigan State and the rest of the country play football this fall, or what that football looks like, is a conversation for another day. Today I want to start taking a deeper look at each position group on the team, broken down by what we know and what we don’t know. These will continue throughout the next couple of weeks until all of the positions are covered. Today: Wide receivers

What we know

Jalen Nailor is explosive when healthy. Through two seasons health has been the biggest question mark for Nailor. He has appeared in just ten of a possible 26 games. We know that we he is on the field, he is a difference maker. Nailor average a ridiculous 15.6 yards per touch during his freshman season. His 2019 was mostly over before it began after he broke his foot after the opening night win against Tulsa. Nailor did have five catches for 60 yards in the Pinstripe Bowl, his third game after returning from injury. Also of note, Nailor will be a redshirt sophomore in 2020 as he only appeared in four games as a true sophomore.

Jayden Reed was a freshman All-American at Western Michigan. Reed had a tremendous freshman season for the Broncos before deciding to elevate his competition by transferring to Michigan State. After a year off Reed should step into a starting role at receiver. His film is impressive and the coaching staff has already said they expect big things from him in 2020.

Tre Mosley showed some flashes. Mosley appeared in just six games as a true freshman, coming on late to earn a huge increase in snaps during those games. His standout moment came against Maryland when he had eight catches for 73 yards. Mosley is in line to be the starting X receiver, more capable of lining up outside and winning contested catches on the perimeter. Can he take those flash moments and turn them into sustained success is the question.

The group has some solid and experienced depth. CJ Hayes and Laress Nelson have both had moments of contribution. They are the first two that come to mind. I wouldn’t expect much of Julian Barnett on offense in 2020, but he’s another returner with experience. There will be a few promising young players looking to crack the two deep and that bodes well for the group.

There are multiple freshman that will compete for snaps. Receivers Ricky White and Terry Lockett are two of the better prospects in MSU’s 2020 class. Both could push for snaps as true freshman. Ian Stewart is also a solid prospect that will be in the mix. I’d say Montorie Foster is the only true freshman receiver that is close to a guarantee to redshirt and that’s only because he started playing football less than a year ago. He’s super talented and super raw. Check back for him in a year or two and he might be something special. It’s not just the true freshmen either. After tearing his ACL Tre’Von Morgan should be back at full strength and could very well push for a starting job. Morgan is 6’6 and could give the MSU passing game a huge size advantage they don’t have with the starters right now.

What we don’t know

How will MSU handle two of their best receivers being small slot-type guys? Under the previous regime, MSU would generally use one small, quick receiver in the slot paired with two bigger bodies on the outside. This year their two best receivers could very well be Reed and Nailor who are both on the smaller side. Does Jay Johnson use them together and how does he go about doing that? I think the MSU offense’s best path forward is with those two on the field as much as possible, so I’m intrigued to see how it plays out.

Can Jalen Nailor stay healthy? As mentioned above, Nailor has been in just ten of a possible 26 games during his two years at MSU. His injury in 2018 was of the undisclosed variety so it’s tough to know if he’s just had bad luck or if he’s someone who is more vulnerable to repeat injuries. The broken foot in 2019 seems more like a stroke of bad luck. MSU needs him to be healthy all season.

Can Jayden Reed succeed with increased competition? The step up from the MAC to the Big Ten East is a large one. His results against power five opponents were mixed in 2018 for WMU. Against Syracuse he had 121 yards and a touchdown on seven catches, but against Michigan he had just 17 yards on two catches. There are of course a number of factors that weigh into that, so the jury is still out.

Who emerges on the outside? This was supposed to be Cody White’s spot, but with him departing for the NFL, that job is open. The logical choice would be Tre Mosley given the ability he displayed as a true freshman, but CJ Hayes started a number of games on the outside well and will certainly get some burn this year. Can Javez Alexander crack the rotation? Is Tre’Von Morgan ready for big playing time? MSU has some big questions on the outside, but certainly some good options.

Which freshman play? If I were to bet I’d say Ricky White and Terry Lockett’s redshirts get burn in 2020 with White eventually working his way towards a starting role like Cody White did as a true freshman. Lockett could have a similar path to Tre Mosley where after a couple months he has proven that he’s capable of playing a good number of snaps in important conference games.

Who is throwing them the ball? This really matters and all of the worrying about which receiver is going to play which spot might be for naught if the person eventually throwing them the ball can’t do it very well. MSU will be breaking in a new QB in 2020 and the offensive line is a unit that needs to grow in strides this season as well. If those two parts don’t get together, it won’t matter who the receivers are.

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What did scouting reports say for 8 prominent Jets?

Before they played for the Jets, here’s what scouts said about the best Jets players.

Growth is a huge part of becoming a football player. It starts at an early age, but the transition from high school to college and then to the NFL is where the most change occurs. The college recruitment process is usually a good indicator of football talent, but even those high school scouting reports are wildly incorrect sometimes. Once you make it to the NFL, none of the positional rankings matter, though.

With that being said, it’s still fun to look back at the high school reports for current Jets stars. Here’s what ESPN scouts got right and wrong about these Jets players.

(Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)

Sam Darnold

There was a solid amount of fanfare for Darnold coming out of San Clemente High School in California in 2015. He was the eighth-ranked quarterback that year – behind guys like Blake Barnett, Josh Rosen and Drew Lock – and had the ideal size to be a solid pocket-passer and the next great USC quarterback. He flourished after becoming a starter in 2016 and the Jets traded up to take him third overall in 2018.

What the scouting report got right: “Can be very accurate when his feet are under him. … He can make difficult throws when off-balance, across his body or on the run to either side. He’s very consistent technically. … Has the arm strength to stretch the field vertically.”

What the scouting report got wrong: “He reminds us of Brock Osweiler when he was at Arizona State terms of style, measurables and athleticism.”

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Breaking down the Tide’s 29 first-round NFL picks: C.J. Mosley

This time, we will be focusing on another former Alabama football star, CJ Mosley.

Since Nick Saban’s arrival to Tuscaloosa in 2007, Alabama has not only become a team that has created a dynasty winning national championships, but it also has become a program that sends players to the NFL every year.

With the 2020 NFL Draft happening in less than a month, it’s the perfect time to start a new series in which we will go over all of the Tide’s 29 first-round draft picks. The first player we went over was Andre Smith, who finished his career at Alabama with 15 awards and honors and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals as the No. 6 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. The second player we went over was former Alabama star linebacker Rolando McClain who would not only win many incredible awards while at Alabama, but was drafted by Oakland Raiders as the No. 8 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The 3rd Alabama player drafted in the first round for the Tide was Kareem Jackson who would go on to be drafted by the Houston Texans as the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The 4th player to become drafted under Nick Saban was Marcell Dareus. Number 5 was Julio Jones who has spent his entire career in Atlanta after being the 6th overall pick in the 2011 Draft by the Falcons. The 6th first round draft pick under Nick Saban was James Carpenter who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks with the 25th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. At number 7 we have former Alabama running back Mark Ingram who was drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 28th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. The 8th player drafted by the Tide was Trent Richardson who was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Mark Barron was the 9th player drafted for Alabama in the NFL Draft. He was was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 7th overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. The 10th player drafted for the Tide was Dre Kirkpatrick who was drafted as the No. 17 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. At No. 11, we have Dont’a Hightower who was drafted as the No. 25 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Dee Milliner was the 12th Alabama player drafted in the NFL. He was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. The 13th Alabama football player drafted in the first round was Chance Warmack who was selected in the first round as the 10th overall pick by the Tennessee Titans in the 2013 NFL Draft. DJ Fluker was the 14th player drafted as the No. 11 overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft.

This time, we will be focusing on another former Alabama football star, CJ Mosley.

While at Alabama, Mosley quickly became a defensive leader. Not only did he help lead Alabama to 2 national championships, he also finished his career at Alabama with 317 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 3 defensive TDs, 17 passes deflected and 1 forced fumble.

Mosley was drafted as the 17th overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens of the 2014 NFL Draft where he played from 2014-2018. While in Baltimore, he recorded 579 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, 9 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 6 forced fumbles and 5 fumble recoveries.

In 2019, Mosley signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the New York Jets. Last season, he recorded 9 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 touchdown.

C.J. Mosley
Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

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Jets suddenly very deep at inside linebacker

Joe Douglas bolster the Jets’ inside linebacker corps to insulate the defense from another bout of injuries.

The inside linebacker position was a mess for the Jets in 2019.

Avery Williamson missed the entire season following an avoidable preseason injury and C.J. Mosley was out for 14 games. With the two starters essentially non-factors, the Jets were forced to go with a bevy of unproven players up the middle. At times, the defense suffered because of it. 

But with the return of Mosley, Blake Cashman, Neville Hewitt and James Burgess, along with the addition of Patrick Onwuasoar, Joe Douglas is looking to turn one of the Jets’ weakest defensive positions in 2019 into one of the deepest in 2020.

(Williamson is also due back, but there’s a chance he becomes a cap casualty.)

The Jets fielded a ragtag group of inside linebackers in 2019 between Cashman, Hewitt and Burgess after Williamson and Mosley went down with injuries. That trio combined for 22 starts in 71 games prior to 2019 and proved the Jets’ true lack of depth. Journeymen B.J. Bello and Albert McClellan barely contributed with 14 combined tackles in 13 combined starts.

Douglas realized he needed to fix that and it’s likely a big reason why he brought back Hewitt and Burgess and signed Onwuasoar. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams now has a solid group of six linebackers with ample amounts of starts at his disposal, something he had for only a week or two in 2019.

Onwuasoar is an interesting addition considering his versatility at linebacker. He started 25 games alongside Mosley in the middle of the Ravens’ defense in 2017 and 2018, but played some outside linebacker in 2019. With the Jets currently thin on the outside – only Jordan Jenkins, Harvey Langi, Tarrell Basham and Frankie Luvu are on the roster – Onwuasoar can switch positions on the fly wherever Williams needs him.

The linebacker corps now offers a solid mix of coverage and pass-rush specialists behind Mosley and Williamson. Hewitt and Onwuasoar can give the Jets speed at linebacker when Williams wants to blitz with his backups, while Cashman is better in coverage. All six have starting experience as well, should injury strike the Jets again and they need quality players to fill in.

The biggest problem facing the Jets’ depth is none of these linebackers behind Williamson and Mosley are great. They’re all good, serviceable players but not up to the level necessary to hold down a defense. Williamson could still be a cap casualty given he could save the Jets $6.5 million, but only if Douglas and Williams believe the other four linebackers are viable starters. After 2019, though, it would be wise for the Jets to keep Williamson and maintain solid depth behind their two starters.

Burgess actually had the highest Pro Football Focus grade (54.9) in 2019 out of him, Hewitt, Cashman and Onwuasoar. That isn’t saying much for a team that needs consistency even with its role players. The hope with these signings is that the five returning Jets can build off their 2019 season and Onwuasoar can provide an extra layer of production for a deeper unit.

The Jets defense kept a lot of its core from 2019 and could still add a pass rusher in free agency or the draft. But by tightening the middle of the defense by re-signing their own players and bringing in a linebacker with starting experience and 8.5 sacks in two seasons, Douglas is setting Williams up for more success at the linebacker position with six solid players.

Darnold, Mosley among 4 Jets to collect roster bonuses 

Some of the best Jets from 2019 earned their 2020 roster bonuses as the league year rolls on.

We’re only a few days into the 2020 league year and the Jets are paying out roster bonuses for a few of their best players. C.J. Mosley, Sam Darnold, Steve McLendon and Ryan Griffin all received varying portions of their 2020 salaries on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. 

Mosley, who only played two games in 2019 after suffering a groin injury in Week 1, earned the largest roster bonus of the four at $10 million. He heads into the second year of the five-year, $85 million contract he signed last offseason. Mosley’s $17.5 million cap hit in 2020 ranks first among Jets players. His contract doesn’t call for a roster bonus in any of the final three years, but his base salary rises dramatically from $6 million in 2020 to $16 million in 2021 and $17 million in 2022 and 2023.

Darnold enters the third year of his rookie deal and just picked up a $2,569,790 roster bonus. He only has a base salary of $750,000 but does have a $5,019,584 signing bonus to round out his $8.339,374 cap hit this season. Darnold isn’t going anywhere considering he’s the Jets’ franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future and comes with a $17.9 million dead cap hit.

The Jets just picked up the 2021 extension of tight end Ryan Griffin and a day later he earned a $918,000 bonus. Griffin excelled with the Jets as a replacement for Chris Herndon and could become a big part of the offense in 2020 after hauling in 34 receptions for 320 yards and five touchdowns.

Finally, veteran nose tackle Steve McLendon received a $1.25 million roster bonus – a little over half of his 2020 salary. The 34-year-old McLendon signed a one-year, $3 million extension on Oct. 12, 2019, and his veteran presence helped the young Jets defensive line throughout the year. McLendon hasn’t missed a single game since 2017 and he wracked up 2.5 sacks in 2019.

In other Jets contract news, safety Jamal Adams earned his $2.765 million roster bonus Friday and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa’s $6 million base salary became fully guaranteed despite him not being medically cleared from a neck injury yet.

As of this article, the Jets have an estimated $42,760,353 in salary cap space, per Spotrac, and a lot of work left to do this offseason.

5 free agent targets who perfectly fit Gregg Williams’ defense

The Jets need pass rush and secondary help. These five free agents are the perfect fit for Gregg Williams’ defense.

Gregg Williams conjured a miracle in 2019.

He took a defense devoid of top-tier talent – save for Jamal Adams – and turned them into of the better units in the league. Williams’ defense finished seventh in yards allowed, 16th in points allowed and second in rushing yards allowed. Without the help of the defense, the Jets aren’t a seven-win team in 2019.

The defense isn’t perfect, though, and Williams needs Joe Douglas to find solid contributors in free agency to improve it. Two positions of great need include outside linebacker and cornerback. Not only were those some of the weaker units this past season, but the top players for the Jets at those positions are also set to hit the open market unless re-signed. If Douglas doesn’t keep players like cornerback Brian Poole or linebackers Jordan Jenkins and Brandon Copeland, free agency will be the first place for him to look.

Williams will need a competent pass rusher as well. He didn’t really have that in 2019 – though Jenkins finished with a career- and team-high eight sacks – and instead used Adams as his primary pass rusher. The Jets blitzed on 39.2 percent of dropbacks and knocked down opposing quarterbacks on 8.9 percent of dropbacks, but finished with only 35 sacks. The Jets need to find players who can turn those blitzes into sacks.

Here are the top five free agents who fit Gregg Williams’ defense.

(Sam Greenwood-Getty Images)

EDGE Yannick Ngakoue  

The Jets need a powerful pass rusher who can win at the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback. Ngakoe has done that with ease since entering the league in 2016 with at least eight sacks in each of the past four seasons. He finished 2019 with only 27 pressures and eight sacks but would immediately inject a skillset the Jets haven’t seen in years.

Ngakoue’s regressed a bit since his torrid 2017 campaign – 12 sacks and six forced fumbles – but he still posted at least a 76.8 pass-rush grade in 2018 and 2019. He won’t be cheap but the Jets need to invest salary cap in the pass rush and Ngakoue is the best intersection of price and production Williams will need for his defense.

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Cap Cut Candidate: Should Jets move on from LB Avery Williamson?

Joe Douglas has a big decision with ILB Avery Williamson, but the pros of cutting him outweigh the pros of keeping him for 2020.

After just two seasons in New York, don’t be surprised if the Jets cut Avery Williamson. 

The inside linebacker missed all of the 2019 season after tearing his ACL in the Jets’ second preseason game on Aug. 15, and there’s a chance Joe Douglas deems Williamson’s cap hit too expensive to keep around.

The Jets signed Williamson to a three-year, $22.5 million contract before the 2018 season. He went on to lead the team with 120 tackles. He was poised to join C.J. Mosley in the middle of Gregg Williams’ defense in 2019, but the Jets never saw that plan come to fruition after Adam Gase inexplicably left Williamson in too long during a meaningless exhibition match and he missed the season with an ACL injury.

Williamson is a great player who would be a major contributor on defense next season, but his $8.5 million cap hit in 2020 ranks fifth among contracts on the Jets. The decision to keep or cut Williamson will be one of the most important choices Douglas will make this offseason, as it could open the Jets up to other free agents but also weaken their core of veterans on defense.

Pros of keeping him

The Jets felt Williamson’s absence in 2019. After he tore his ACL, they cycled through Neville Hewitt, rookie Blake Cashman and James Burgess at inside linebacker with varying degrees of success and more injuries.

Williamson made his presence felt all over the defense in 2018. Not only did he lead the team with a career-high 120 combined tackles, but he also finished with three sacks, one interception, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Williamson has also been one of the best run defenders since he joined the league in 2014. He finished 2018 with 29 stops – 13th overall – and his 90.4 run defense grade since 2014 ranks fifth among linebackers over that span.

His veteran presence –  75 starts in 79 games since 2014– is hard to find on the open market for his price. The Jets would be looking at a similar situation to last season at the second inside linebacker spot if they don’t keep Williamson.

Cons of keeping him

There are three issues with keeping Williamson: durability, the development of Blake Cashman and his cap hit.

Williamson hadn’t missed a game in his career prior to tearing his ACL, but there’s no telling how his body and mind with come back from such a devastating injury. It’s a huge question mark for his longevity on the Jets and in the league, and something Douglas will weigh greatly before making his decision.

Williamson’s presence also halts the development of Cashman, who started five games at inside linebacker before landing on injured reserve himself. The rookie played admirably in Williamson’s position with 40 tackles, half a sack, three tackles for a loss and three quarterback hits. He was also solid in coverage compared to the other backup linebackers on the Jets. Cashman is nine pounds lighter than Williamson but the same height, four years younger and a lot cheaper. He could be the future at inside linebacker for the Jets, and $8 million cheaper.

As mentioned earlier, Williamson also comes with an $8.5 million cap hit in 2020 – fifth-most on the team. Cutting him saves Douglas roughly $6.5 million, which he could use to bolster the offensive line, secondary, pass rush or sign another wide receiver. If Douglas believes Cashman can play close to the same level as Williamson, it would make sense to move him up and save the cash for something more pressing.

Verdict

Between the cap savings and the development of Cashman, it makes a lot of sense for the Jets to cut Williamson and use the $6.5 million elsewhere. The concern over how Williamson will return from injury is real and can be mitigated by rolling with Cashman alongside Mosley, who should return to full strength after a season-long groin injury.

The Jets can backfill inside linebacker either through the draft or with a cheaper in-house or free-agent option. Williamson is a really good player who will likely continue to play at a high level somewhere else, but the Jets have far greater concerns on their roster than at inside linebacker and can’t afford to waste money.

How likely is it the Jets’ top 10 cap hits remain on the roster?

Jets GM Joe Douglas will have some big decisions to make regarding players who will greatly affect the Jets’ 2020 salary cap.

Joe Douglas enters his first offseason as Jets general manager with a lot of questions surrounding the team.

He didn’t acquire most of the players on the roster and probably isn’t as invested in them as the previous regime. Douglas inherited a flawed team, both in the contracts of some of its players as well as the production from those players. This will be his time to take a long look at the books and determine who is worth the money they’re being paid and who isn’t.

The Jets have until March 18 to decide which players they’ll keep prior to the beginning of free agency and the 2020 league year. The Jets currently have the 10th-most cap space in the league at $56 million, per Spotrac, and that number will grow when Douglas decides to cut some big-money contracts early. 

With that in mind, here are the top-10 cap hits for the Jets in 2020 and the likelihood they remain on the roster.

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2019 Bills opponents: Jets defense, Sam Darnold banged up

The Jets aren’t in the running for the AFC playoff picture after their loss to the Bengals last week.

The Jets aren’t in the running for the AFC playoff picture after their loss to the Bengals last week. But they still will play an impact on the Bills because the AFC East rivals will roundout the 2019 regular season against one another in Week 17.

In the past few days, the Jets have had a whirlwind of injury news come about around their camp.

First, quarterback Sam Darnold discussed a couple of lingering issues he’s had as of late. The second-year QB played through a knee injury in the Bengals loss, per Jets Wire. However, the outlet notes Darnold said “I’m not concerned with (the injury).”

For now, Darnold will stay under center, but with three games separating the Bills and Jets, Darnold’s health is something to watch. If the Bills need a “win and in” scenario in Week 17, no Darnold would be big news.

But there’s a better chance the Jets could be without two star defenders in Week 17. First, CJ Mosley’s season is over. Their marquee defensive signing of the summer is now on the injury reserve list due to a groin injury. He played in only two games this season and didn’t finish either.

In addition, safety Jamal Adams could miss the Bills meeting as well. He suffered a sprained ankle injury in their loss to the Bengals and was listed as “week-to-week” per head coach Adam Gase. If the Jets continue to lose, they could decide just to shut their star defensive back down.

Missing three would be a big advantage for the Bills.

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