An Adams Trade Would Provide Small Upgrade, But Big Problems

Why build “brick by brick” if you’re just going to bulldoze it all before it’s finished?

The 49ers’ offseason news went from tepid to boiling last week. Kyle Shanahan signed an extension, but injuries to wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Richie James Jr. weakened an already thin group. Imperfect veterans like Antonio Brown and Josh Gordon once again surfaced as possible signings. 

Yet, despite the great need for a more experienced wide receiver, the most intriguing name that joined the rumor mill was one that plays a position of great strength. 

New York Jets All-Pro safety Jamal Adams requested to be traded this past week, listing the 49ers as one preferred destination. He also named the division-rival Seahawks and hometown Cowboys. 

Here are the seven teams to which Jets’ Pro-Bowl safety Jamal Adams would welcome a trade, per source:
🏈Ravens
🏈Cowboys
🏈Texans
🏈Chiefs
🏈Eagles
🏈49ers
🏈Seahawks

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 18, 2020

Now, it can’t hurt to inquire about the Jets’ asking price, which would at least drive up the capital it would take for rivals to acquire Adams. But the 49ers should not go any further. 

Adams is a bargain for the next two seasons, if he doesn’t hold out before then. But he’s likely due for a significant pay raise in 2022, resulting in at least a $15 million cap hit. 

The 49ers have their own stars to lock in and are rather tight when it comes to cap space. George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, Jaquiski Tartt, Richard Sherman, K’Waun Williams, Trent Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon and D.J. Jones become unrestricted free agents in 2021. Emmanuel Moseley and Daniel Brunskill are exclusive restricted free agents as well. 

It’s highly unlikely the 49ers can re-sign all those players given their cap standing. The only reason the bound-to-be expensive Kittle is even a possibility is because of this offseason’s frugal moves toward the future (drafting Javon Kinlaw and Brandon Aiyuk to replace DeForrest Buckner and Emmanuel Sanders). 

Why build “brick by brick” if you’re just going to bulldoze it all before it’s finished? 

If the 49ers had not just signed Jimmie Ward to a three year, $28.5 million deal, the idea of Adams in Gold would be intriguing. But it’s hard to imagine a world where teams built on elite pass-rush would justify paying four defensive backs big money. 

Why change the team’s entire philosophy of the past two seasons for one player? Adams is good enough to do so, but is he worth it? 

There’s no doubt Adams would briefly make the rich richer. He’s one of the best safeties in the league, and would greatly benefit from the 49ers pass-rush. But he would likely mortgage the future, similar to what Jalen Ramsey did to the Rams. 

Adams would have to agree to a franchise-friendly contract extension. But the trade would still result in the loss of future depth and draft picks. The 49ers can’t afford to lose that much reinforcement for someone who could just hold out again next offseason. 

The most important question is this: would acquiring Adams prevent a Kittle extension? If it truly ended up being Kittle or Adams, that answer is easy. Kittle is the most important player on the offense and probably the whole team (Nick Bosa could surpass him soon). Without Adams, the defense is still one of the best in the NFL. Without Kittle, the offense would lose its best pass-catcher, run-blocker and leader. 

It would be much more on-brand for Shanahan and John Lynch to use their extra cap space on Kittle, Sherman, Williams and others in need of contracts while replenishing their lost talent through the draft.