Jets Find Potential Starting Safety in Free Agent Bargain Bin

Compared to the excessive money that was thrown around early in free agency, Adrian Amos looks like the ultimate bargain.

The New York Jets announced Amos's signing on Tuesday afternoon, and the contract details emerged on Thursday.

ESPN's Field Yates offered a breakdown of the one-year, $4 million deal on Twitter, reporting the base value as $1.75 million with the ability to earn $2.75 million more through incentives. The contract will occupy $2.65 million of salary cap space.

Gang Green secured an eight-year starting safety for a fraction of the compensation that the Los Angeles Chargers gave Derwin James. According to Spotrac, the highly-regarded James received a four-year contract that features $42 million in guaranteed money. He will earn an average of $19.1 million per season.

Meanwhile, safety Jessie Bates, another heavily-coveted free agent, inked a deal that pays an average of $16 million per year through 2026.

Adrian Amos’ 1-year, $4M deal with the Jets:

Base value: $1.75M (signing bonus + base salary)

Incentives: $2.25M ($900K considered LTBE)

Cap charge: $2.65M
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 15, 2023

Amos does not possess the star power that James and Bates used to earn their lucrative multi-year agreements, but he's a proven producer who has kept an NFL starting job since 2015. The hard-hitting defender, who goes by the nickname "Smash," totaled 102 tackles last year. He has made 65+ tackles every season he's played in the NFL.

The addition of Amos, which did not require the Jets to make a long-term commitment, looks even more like a steal considering the reported speculation surrounding Jets' veteran safety Chuck Clark.

Multiple reports have suggested that Clark's 2023 season is in jeopardy due to a potential ACL injury. After joining the Jets via trade in March, Clark was lining up next to incumbent starting strong safety Jordan Whitehead during OTAs.

Amos would likely step in for an injured Clark, allowing head coach Robert Saleh to replace one battle-tested veteran with another. Availability has become the M.O. for Amos, who has logged 82 consecutive starts dating back to the 2018 season opener.

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