Jets LB C.J. Mosley on facing talented 49ers offense to open season: ‘Definitely going to be a measuring stick’

Week 1 is often used as a gauge to see where your team stands.

That’s certainly the case for the Jets , who will play the Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football on the road to begin the season.

“Overall, it is definitely going to be a measuring stick,” Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “But we are not going to live and die by the results. We are going to get better from the good, bad and the ugly from the tape after it’s over.

“Obviously, we are playing to win the game, but if that is not the case, we are going to look at the right things to do to get better. Going in, we feel like we both have two really good teams. Both really coached well, both personnel know each other, so it is going to be about execution and understanding situations and making big plays and getting on and off the field on third downs.”

The Jets have featured one of the best defenses in the NFL the last two seasons. During that span, Gang Green has finished in the top five in yards allowed. That includes last season when the Jets were first in total yards allowed per play (4.57), third in total yards allowed per game (292.3), fourth in net yards per play (5.48) and passes defended (91).

However, the Jets have some question marks on the defensive line entering the season. Haason Reddick , 29, is still holding out and asked for a trade last month. Reddick is in the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2022 and wants a new contract. The pass rusher has only stepped in the Jets’ facility once to take his physical and to have his introductory press conference on April 1.

Jets coach Robert Saleh has not ruled out Reddick for the game against the 49ers, but it seems unlikely he would play even if Reddick reported to the facility before the team flies to the Bay Area.

Without Reddick, the Jets will need to replace 19.5 sacks from last year’s team after Bryce Huff , Quinton Jefferson and John Franklin-Myers all departed during the offseason. In addition to Quinnen Williams and Jermaine Johnson , players like Will McDonald and Micheal Clemons will look to fill the void.

Johnson is coming off a bounce-back season in which he upped his sacks from 2.5 to 7.5 in 2023.

“I mean, you can ask the teams we joint practiced against,” Johnson said. “And then y’all gonna see on Monday, so I think we all feel pretty good.”

In addition to the questions about their pass rush, the Jets’ rush defense was their weakness a season ago. They finished 25th in yards allowed on the ground (124).

That could spell trouble because Christian McCaffrey led the league in rushing with 1,459 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns last season. The Jets will also need to keep close tabs on McCaffrey in the passing game because he registered 67 catches for 564 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023.

“We got some great bunch of guys in our room,” Williams said. “You got Micheal Clemons coming to his own, who’s been dominant each and every down last year and this year who’s taking on a bigger role in accepting that role this year.

“You got Javon Kinlaw coming in super healthy and a monster in his own way. Having a dog room that we got, having an amazing room that we got is unbelievable.”

The Jets’ defense will oppose one of the most talented teams in the league. San Francisco’s roster is stacked in addition to McCaffrey. They also have quarterback Brock Purdy , wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk , Deebo Samuel , and Trent Williams , one of the best left tackles ever.

In the secondary, the play of cornerbacks Sauce Gardner , D.J. Reed and Michael Carter II will be instrumental in the success of the Jets’ defense. If Gardner, Reed and Carter can prevent explosive plays down the field, that will allow the Jets’ defensive line more time to consistently pressure Purdy inside the pocket.

“I’m really excited about this,” Johnson said. “My switch has been waiting to be flipped and the joint practices are fun, but at the same time, I mean, it’s like game day in the NFL is like you are in the Roman Coliseum.

“It is like bringing you back to a millennium ago.  I just can’t wait to get back to that, I know all of us can’t.”