Report: Dallas Cowboys have reemerged as potential trade partners for Jamal Adams
If things are heating up on the front to trade Jamal Adams, then the New York Jets are certainly not tip-toeing into the fray. According to a recent report, the Jets are seeking trade value that would accelerate their rebuild if they were to move on from Adams.
To rewind…Adams wants to get paid and become the top-paid safety in the NFL. It is a reasonable request given that he was an All-Pro selection in 2019 and has been named to two Pro Bowls during his first three years in the league. Adams is one of the best safeties in the NFL if not the best. He should be compensated as such.
On Thursday night, the venerable Gary Myers reported that the Jets and Adams were at an impasse over a long-term contract. Myers, with a history of well-sourced news, indicated that the Jets could be ready to explore trade talks for their star safety.
A few hours later, Myers reported that the Dallas Cowboys have re-emerged as a possible landing spot for Adams. Keep in mind that late last October on the verge of the trade deadline, the Cowboys had reached out to the Jets, who were floundering at 1-7 at the time, about Adams.
The Jets weren’t shopping Adams according to general manager Joe Douglas. But, they did their due diligence and listened. It was the wise and prudent thing to do.
Now with Adams, set to enter into the fourth season of a five-year rookie contract and apparently at a divide with the team over his future, the Jets appear poised according to Myers’ reporting to move on. It is difficult to understand on one hand and logical on the other.
Adams would be demanding top dollar and, as noted before, rightly so. Coming off a career year where he emerged as the top safety in the NFL, he likely is eyeing $15 million a year in guaranteed money. He is the best safety in the game. Now he wants to be paid like it.
But the Jets at 7-9 have more issues to deal with than just a safety. This is a team that has several needs to address before it can be ready to challenge for the AFC East and the playoffs. Adams tying down $15 million in cap space is one factor weighing on the mind of Douglas. Another is how the team could rebuild significantly in 2021 with two first round picks and two third round picks.
This could give the Jets five picks in the top 100 selections of the draft, making them a major player to not just upgrade their talent but move around and get more draft capital.
The Jets also have a fifth round pick next year from the New York Giants as part of the Leonard Williams trade, a sixth round pick from the New England Patriots and a conditional seventh round pick from the Seattle Seahawks.
Through his first full offseason with the Jets, Douglas has shown a willingness to gamble on players he judges to be on the upswing rather than chase superstars. Adams, one of the biggest stars in the NFL, might not be the right fit for the Jets if there isn’t some flexibility when it comes to his contract.
