As the New York Jets wrapped up their offseason program last week, linebacker C.J. Mosley made a few headlines when asked if the NFL team had approached him about reworking his contract.

“Not me personally. They talked to my agent,” Mosley said. “I’m not really concerned or worried about it too much. I come here to work every day. I’m focused on getting better and trying to win a championship and being the best player I can be, so whatever happens, happens. It hasn’t been a concern for me.”

MORE NFL:

· BEFORE HIS NEXT LEAGUE, TERRELL OWENS PLAYS FOR DEVONTA SMITH

· EAGLES QB JALEN HURTS: ‘LAST YEAR’S OVER’

· JAHMYR GIBBS ON NFL PRACTICE: ‘THEY DON’T TRY TO KILL US’

Reworking contracts to open salary-cap space is a routine procedure in the NFL. A team and player will agree to convert a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus, which allows that amount to be prorated over the entire span of the contract for salary-cap purposes. The player doesn’t make any less, and he helps his team balance its books, at least for the current season.

Another kind of reworking of contracts also happens in the NFL: A player agrees to take a pay cut to keep from getting cut.

That already has happened with another New York defensive starter this offseason. Former Auburn standout Carl Lawson was supposed to have a $15 million base salary for 2023. Instead, he’ll play for a $9 million base salary with the opportunity to earn another $3 million by meeting performance incentives.

RELATED: JETS’ CARL LAWSON: ‘IT’S ALMOST LIKE GOD IS TALKING TO ME’

Could New York be taking a similar approach with Mosley? The linebacker wasn’t asked during his press conference to elaborate on the possible contract restructuring, and to the only follow-up question, Mosley said he wasn’t sure if the restructuring request was even still on the table.

Mosley will take up $21.476 million of the $224.8 million salary cap in 2023, the 25th-highest cap hit in the NFL and the biggest on the Jets by more than $10 million.

On the other hand, New York is in good shape on its salary cap for 2023. According to overthecap.com, the Jets have $24.782 million in salary-cap space for this season, the fourth-most in the NFL.

But next season, New York’s salary-cap picture isn’t as pretty. Only three teams have more money already obligated in contracts for the 2024 season than the Jets.

Mosley’s cap hit in 2024 will be the same as it is in 2023, but it no longer will be the biggest for New York. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ cap hit will balloon from $1.215 million in 2023 to $37.4 million in 2024.

The only way New York could convince Mosley and his representatives to agree to a pay cut would be if the Jets would release him if they didn’t.

Mosley has two seasons remaining on a five-year, $85 million contract. The $51 million in guaranteed money contained in that deal has been paid. Releasing Mosley would cut $17 million off New York’s salary-cap obligations for 2023 and about $11 million for 2024.

There’s another set of numbers to weigh against those dollars when considering Mosley’s future with the Jets: Among the NFL’s 32 teams, New York finished fourth in points allowed and fourth in yards allowed during the 2022 season after ranking as the NFL’s worst team in both categories in 2021.

At middle linebacker, Mosley is the defensive play-caller for the Jets, and his 158 tackles were 52 more than any other player on the team last season. In his eighth NFL season, Mosley received his fifth Pro Bowl invitation in 2022.

ESPN’s offseason depth chart for New York shows Chazz Surratt as Mosley’s backup. Surratt has played in 10 NFL games in two seasons and has never been on the field for a regular-season defensive snap. Mosley played 98 percent of the Jets’ defensive snaps in 2023.

Mosley was a two-time All-State linebacker for Theodore High School. In 2009, he earned the Class 6A Lineman of the Year Award and recognition as a Parade All-American.

At Alabama, Mosley was a consensus All-American in 2012 and a unanimous All-American in 2013, when he earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year Award and the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker. Mosley played for two national-championship teams with the Crimson Tide.

Mosley entered the NFL as the 17th player picked in the 2014 NFL Draft. In 112 NFL regular-season games, he has recorded 914 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 50 tackles for loss, 11 interceptions, 46 passes defended, eight forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries.

Mosley’s 168 tackles in 2021 rank as the most tackles in one NFL season on record for a player from an Alabama high school or college.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.