The New York Jets and star safety Jamal Adams have reached an impasse, as negotiations for a contract extension are stalling. Adams has demanded he wants a new deal moving forward, going into the fourth season of his rookie contract. General manager Joe Douglas has been adamant that he does not want to offer a long-term contract before the fourth year of his rookie deal.
Adams is clearly utilizing his leverage to cash in early, which is extremely smart for any NFL player that has the ability to do so.
However, due to the stalling and negotiations, Adams has made it known that he is open to a potential trade. The Jets reportedly entertained the idea in 2019, but things could be a bit more serious this time around with Douglas refusing to budge.
Michael Irving stated that the Jets are looking for a first and third-round pick in return for the star safety. Adams is one of the best strong safeties in the NFL, posting 75 combine tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 10 tackles for a loss in 2019. That’s not even mentioning his seven passes offended, two forced fumbles, and one interception. He also scored two defensive touchdowns.
Michael Irvin just texted me on the Jamal Adams rumor: "He is great in coverage. Jets want a 1st and a 3rd. He is great for that locker room that needed Michael Bennett to speak up after having just a donut here…" @1053SS @1053thefan pic.twitter.com/y0aYA9hsr5
— RJ Choppy (@rjchoppy) May 22, 2020
Adams is not a traditional strong safety, though, as he posted a 55.3% completion rate against and a 5.1% missed tackle rate. He is adequate in every category, attesting to his immense talent and value for any defense.
Trading away Adams would significantly hurt the Jets’ defense, and considering they just allocated resources toward bolstering the offensive line, they could be in a position to win immediately. Trading away their best player, arguably, would significantly limit their probability for success, but they would gain valuable draft capital in the process.
Douglas likely wants to ensure Adams remains healthy for the 2020 campaign, which makes sense given he hasn’t even reached the fourth year of his rookie contract. The Jets could always pick up his fifth-year option and prolong the contract extension even further. Nonetheless, Adams looks to be extremely serious on the matter and does not want to waste any time finding a solution. He has held out virtual meetings and stayed away from the team in the meantime.