Former NFL executive Pat Kirwan reacts to Jamal Adams trade, thinks Adam Gase is on the hot seat
The blockbuster trade between the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks was polarizing. Given the level of the player – Adams is an All-Pro safety – and the price paid – Seattle gave up three draft picks and a solid starting safety, it shouldn’t be surprising that the analysis of the trade is all over the spectrum.
Former Jets executive Pat Kirwan saw both sides and liked the deal. On SiriusXM NFL Radio's ‘Movin' the Chains’ on Tuesday he discussed the Jets recent move. As part of this, Kirwan said that he believes Adam Gase will not be the head coach of the Jets for long.
“[Pete Carroll] was tickled to death to get him, and justified the whole compensation package this way to me,” Kirwan said. “He said, ‘We always [draft] in the high 20s. If Jamal Adams lookalike was up there and we had to go to six, seven, or eight to get him, we'd have to give away next year's first-round plus this first round. Number two, Jamal Adams is 24-years old and he's proven. I'm not so sure the next guy [drafted] is.’”
Gase met with the media after the deal and didn’t say anything disparaging about Adams. Kirwan believes that Gase’s feelings for Adams were mutual.
“Adam has a history of when he doesn't want someone, he wants to get them out of here,” he said. “I draw on no further than Jarvis Landry, all right? Jarvis went to him and said, ‘I want the ball more,’ and he was moved not soon after that.”
Kirwan spent eight years with the Jets, starting as a defensive assistant coach in 1989 and advancing to Director of Player Administration.
Last year was Gase’s first in New York, going 7-9 despite losing starting quarterback Sam Darnold to mono for four games. Kirwan acknowledged that the AFC East is much improved, pointing to the Buffalo Bills as the favorite. He said that the Miami Dolphins are also better and the New England Patriots aren’t to be written off.
The Jets spent their first full offseason under general manager Joe Douglas focusing on their offensive line in order to protect Darnold.
“Here's the question that I'll ask because I got asked this question right away from a Jet fan,” Kirwan said. “Will Adam Gase be here to see the benefit of all those draft picks?”
“I think Adam has to do something soon anyway. [This trade] will make the job appealing to the next guy. There’s a young quarterback. You've got picks all over the place. A lot of guys will line up for that job. Joe is a great guy and a lot of coaches are going to want to work for them. So I think this is setting up in an ugly way for Adam Gase, and I feel bad about that but I don't like it when coaches get pickled in like this but it looks like that.”
