EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 24: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Jamal Adams #33 of the New York Jets in action against the Oakland Raiders at MetLife Stadium on November 24, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Jets defeated the Raiders 34-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Jamal Adams wants to be traded but the Jets still plan on keeping him.
June is traditionally a dead month in the NFL but the league has been buzzing about trade rumors involving Adams, a star safety on the Jets.
Adams has been unhappy about not getting a long term contract extension and recently submitted a list of eight teams he would like to play for to the organization.
That hasn’t fazed the Jets, who continue to insist they have no interest in trading their best player. Jets’ head coach Adam Gase, who reportedly has a sour relationship with Adams, was asked about whether he wanted Adams on the team next season and said the following.
“Yes, I want Jamal on our team.”
Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams also indicated his support for Adams recently while General Manager Joe Douglas has gone on record saying he wants Adams to be a Jet for life earlier in the offseason.
The whole situation comes down to the fact that Adams is sour about the fact that the organization hasn’t backed up Douglas’ words with a new contract offer. Adams is still playing out his rookie deal and will make $3.5 million in 2020, a bargain rate for one of the best defenders in football.
The problem that Adams runs into is that the Jets have all the leverage in potential contract negotiations. New York picked up Adams’ fifth-year option for 2021 and can put the franchise tag on him for 2022 if a long-term deal isn’t reached, meaning they can guarantee control over Adams’ rights for the next three seasons.
All of the teams on Adams’ list may also be hesitant to pay a safety top dollar, which is why he is trying to create his own leverage by indicating he would play for them without an extension. Even if one of the potential suitors was intrigued by this possibility they would still need to come up with a lucrative package to get the Jets to part with Adams.
Douglas notably fielded calls about Adams at the trade deadline, supposedly asking the Dallas Cowboys for a first-round pick and either Zack Martin or Tyron Smith, two of the NFL’s best offensive linemen. The price tag probably hasn’t dropped much for the Jets, who need a load of help and won’t move Adams unless they are clearly overwhelmed with an offer since they have the leverage in this situation.
It also is obvious that the Jets remain the team best equipped to pay Adams top dollar as soon as next season. New York’s cap sheet was a bit messy as Douglas tries to get out from under bad contracts handed out by his predecessor, Mike Maccagnan, which have led the Jets to eat a ton of dead money to get rid of underperforming players like Trumaine Johnson.
Add in the uncertainty of next year’s cap due to the pandemic’s impact on revenue and it explains why stars like Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson haven’t gotten extensions either. The Jets are still acting as if Adams will be a key part of their future and will pay him in due time, but unless they are given the steal of the century there is no reason for them to move Adams.