What does Patrick Mahomes new contract mean for Jamal Adams?
Not that he was hurting before financially, but Patrick Mahomes has Scrooge McDuck money, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback now able to dive into his expected career earnings and swim about his loose change like the Disney character.
But while Mahomes 10-year contract that could be worth up to $503 million is ridiculous, it only will impact the quarterback market. For a safety such as Jamal Adams, it likely doesn’t do too much.
Adams is looking for a new contract, the New York Jets safety wanting to be paid as the top at his position in the NFL. That would be money north of $15 million a year in all likelihood, a far cry from Mahomes payday.
And even if rumors were true that Adams wants to be the highest paid player on the Jets (which would be over $17 million a year) or might even want $20 million a year, it still doesn’t begin to approach what Mahomes bank account is going to look like in a couple of years. And one noted salary cap expert said that any potential long-term deal for Adams won’t be impacted by what Mahomes just signed.
“As for other players around the league, the quarterback market tends to be a completely separate construct,” said Brad Spielberger of OverTheCap.com. He is also a contributor at Pro Football Focus.
“I don't foresee players like Jamal Adams trying to point to Mahomes' deal and suggesting it should have some impact on his own. If anything, the cash flows in the early years of Mahomes' illustrate a potential COVID-19 impact on short-term payment. Mahomes' year one to year three cash flows will lag behind those of Russell Wilson from his latest extension, and then will take off in year four.”
Adams, unhappy over the lack of progress for his own contract talks, has reportedly asked for a trade. Last month, he claimed on social media that the Jets promised to make him a contract offer in January but that no deal has been forthcoming.
In late February at the NFL Combine, general manager Douglas said that he wanted to sign Adams to a long-term deal that could make him a Jets player for life.
Spielberger is the author of the acclaimed book The Drafting Stage: Creating a Marketplace for NFL Draft Picks.
