Wednesday 13 March 2019 17:22, UK
The New York Jets are expected to sign linebacker C.J. Mosley on a five-year, $85m deal with $51m guaranteed, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The 26-year-old has made the Pro Bowl four times since being drafted 17th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Mosley has been a tackling machine for the Ravens, racking up 579 total tackles through five seasons and becoming one of the team's most reliable defenders.
Baltimore did not want to let him go, but the Jets were able to tempt him with a massive deal that offers $17m per year.
The deal completely resets the market for inside linebackers. Prior to Monday, Carolina Panther Luke Kuechly was the highest-paid ILB with an average salary of $12.36m per season.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander jumped above him when he agreed a four-year, $54m deal with the San Francisco 49ers ($13.5m average) but he has not stayed at the top of the market for long, with Mosley's deal eclipsing that easily.
New York had already been aggressive in the legal tampering period on the defensive side of the ball, securing a deal to sign another four-time Pro Bowler - Anthony Barr - from the Minnesota Vikings on Monday only to see the linebacker perform an about turn and remain in Minneapolis.
