The New York Jets made their biggest move of the offseason so far on Thursday when they signed linebacker C.J. Mosley to a two-year, $17.25 million contract extension.

Mosley had one more season remaining on his previous contract, but making this deal was imperative for the Jets, as it lowered Mosley’s massive salary cap hit and keeps the Jets defensive captain on the roster through the 2025 season.

Retaining Mosley solidifies the Jets defense, which, so far, has added two defensive tackles (Javon Kinlaw and Leki Fotu) in free agency, though they did lose edge rusher Bryce Huff and lineman Quinton Jefferson. New York also re-signed safety Chuck Clark.

In fact, several of the Jets' most important moves in free agency have been retaining their own players. Kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Thomas Morstead were also re-signed in addition to Clark and this extension for Mosley.

With that all being said, let’s break down Mosley's new contract with the Jets.

Grading C.J. Mosley's contract with Jets

There’s a lot to like for the Jets in this deal.

First and foremost, they retain the heart and soul of their defense and a hugely important and influential voice in the locker room. Mosley just might be the most respected player on the Jets, regardless of position.

His leadership is vital. But his on-field production can’t be overlooked.

Mosley has led the Jets in tackles each of the past three seasons, including a career-high 168 in 2021 and 152 this past season. In 2022, he was second-team All-Pro.

Last season, Mosley showed no signs of slowing down. He had eight games with ten or more tackles, including a season-high 15 in Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The 31-year-old has missed one game the past three seasons, and in 2023, Pro Football Focus handed him an overall 82.9 grade.

With Mosley and Quincy Williams, the Jets have two of the top linebackers in the NFL at their disposal. And Mosley’s influence on Williams can’t be underestimated, even as Williams gains more notoriety for his improved play.

The other huge part of this signing is that the Jets create quite a bit of extra room under the salary cap. Mosley was due to count a whopping $21.476 million against the cap this season. But that number drops considerably with this new contract.

For a team that’s so tight against the salary cap, resolving Mosley's solution was a must.

New York could have restructured Mosley’s contract like they did last season. But all that does is kick the can down the road, passing along the cap charge over time. By signing him to a new contract that overrides the previous one, it’s a reset for the Jets, with no penalty down the road.

It’s hard to see any downside to this deal at all.

Grade: A