Jamal Adams - Pro Football Rumors

Jets To Exercise Jamal Adams’ Fifth-Year Option

April 27th, 2020 at 1:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets will exercise Jamal Adams‘ fifth-year option, according to Manish Mehta of the Daily News. This, of course, won’t be the end of the Jets’ contractual dealings with the standout safety.

With the option, Adams will be slated to earn $9.86MM in 2021 – guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, he’s looking for a brand new multi-year deal that will reset the market as his position. The Jets have explored trading him in the past, but GM Joe Douglas claims that he’s staying put.

“[Adams] was a big reason I was excited about coming here,” Douglas said recently. “I feel this guy is a core player. The main goal that I’m trying to do right now is to surround him with like-minded players, because we know Jamal is a dog.”

The two-time Pro Bowler has drawn interest from the Cowboys and several other clubs, but Douglas has said that he wants Adams to be a “Jet for life.” We may soon find out whether that’s the case, though Adams’ camp has not set any sort of deadline in talks.

A new deal for Adams would likely vault him ahead of Eddie Jackson, whose recent four-year, $58.4MM deal made him the highest-paid safety in the league. His $14.6MM average annual value leads the position and his $33MM in guarantees – more than half of the deal’s total value – will be front of mind for Adams’ reps in negotiations.

Jets GM Joe Douglas On Jamal Adams

April 21st, 2020 at 5:48pm CST by Rory Parks

Jets safety Jamal Adams‘ future in the Meadowlands remains murky, but GM Joe Douglas continues to rave about his young star. Though the team is reportedly willing to slow-play negotiations with Adams, Douglas remains hopeful that the 2019 First Team All-Pro will be with Gang Green for the long haul.

“[Adams] was a big reason I was excited about coming here,” Douglas said on ESPN NY 98.7 today (via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). “I feel this guy is a core player. The main goal that I’m trying to do right now is to surround him with like-minded players, because we know Jamal is a dog.”

Coming off his third year in the league, Adams is extension-eligible for the first time. He is planning to skip the Jets’ voluntary virtual offseason program as he seeks a new contract, one that will surely make him the highest-paid safety in NFL history. New York can theoretically control him through the 2021 season, but it doesn’t seem as though Adams will willingly play into the 2020 campaign without a new deal in place, let alone 2021.

A trade remains a possibility, but one of Adams’ most aggressive suitors at the 2019 trade deadline, the Cowboys, are unlikely to trade a first-rounder for him at this point, and the Jets will certainly not deal him for anything less than a first-rounder (and then some). That reality, combined with the fact that an acquiring club would need to give up premium draft capital and authorize a record-breaking contract, makes it increasingly likely that Douglas will get his wish and will get to keep Adams at the core of his defense (even if the two sides to not come to terms for a while).

“We have to surround him with guys that play as hard as he does, that love football as much as he does and can match his intensity,” Douglas said. The neophyte GM will have a chance to do just that this Thursday, when his team is on the clock with the No. 11 overall pick of the 2020 draft.

Cowboys Unlikely To Trade Round 1 Pick For Veteran

April 21st, 2020 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Picking in the first round for the first time in two years, the Cowboys are not likely to part ways with this selection for a veteran player, per Jerry Jones (via NFL.com’s Jane Slater, on Twitter). The Cowboys pick 17th Thursday.

This is notable because of the organization’s Jamal Adams interest. The Cowboys offered a first-round pick and change for Adams before last year’s deadline, Slater reported in October. The Jets turned that offer down, but Adams is skipping their virtual offseason program. The All-Pro safety’s future with the team is murky at this point.

Adams said last year he would love to play for the Cowboys. The LSU product is a Dallas native. But at this point, Slater notes the Cowboys do not have him on the front burner. The Jets will obviously pick up Adams’ fifth-year option, tethering him to their payroll through the 2021 season.

The Cowboys traded their 2019 first-round pick for Amari Cooper and have since extended him on a $20MM-per-year deal. An Adams re-up would cost more than $15MM AAV and likely more. A high price tag — for Adams or another veteran — would play into the Cowboys’ hesitance on giving up their first-rounder, per Jones (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer).

Dallas balked at trading a first-round pick for Earl Thomas in 2018 and opted against pursuing him in free agency last year. The team did address its years-long safety need in free agency, doing so by signing Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to a low-cost deal. He is set to join incumbent Xavier Woods as a back-line starter. Woods is going into a contract year.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Williams, Thuney, Dolphins

April 19th, 2020 at 4:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Throughout the offseason, the Jets have been unwilling to part with a second-round pick for Trent Williams. With days to go before the draft, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY hears that their position hasn’t changed.

And, even if the Jets were willing to cough up a second-round pick, Vacchiano doesn’t think that would be enough to bring the Redskins’ left tackle to Gang Green.

More on the Jets and the rest of the AFC East:

The Jets want to keep Jamal Adams for the long haul, but they’re also willing to slow-play negotiations to get the best possible price, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes. Meanwhile, Adams’ camp has not set a deadline for talks, so the Jets don’t feel rushed or pressured to get something done. As it stands, Adams is under contract through the 2020 season, and the Jets also hold a fifth-year option on his deal that could take him through 2021.
If rival teams call with trade interest in guard Joe Thuney, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss expects the Patriots to pick up the phone and listen with an open mind. The Pats stunned everyone by using the franchise tag on Thuney, cuffing him at a $14.78MM rate for 2020. That’s not Bill Belichick‘s style, of course, so Reiss thinks he’d consider dealing Thuney if they’re offered a second-round choice or even a high third-rounder.
The Dolphins have done lots of homework on mid-round running backs and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald wouldn’t be surprised to see them come out of draft weekend with two new RBs. They’ve also done lots of interviews with kickers like Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship, which could spell the end for Jason Sanders.
After undergoing wrist and groin surgeries, Jerry Hughes says he’s “on schedule” for the 2020 season (via Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News). That’s fantastic news for the Bills, who hope to feature Hughes at defensive end alongside Trent Murphy and newcomer Mario Addison.

Jamal Adams To Skip Virtual Offseason Program

April 17th, 2020 at 8:50am CST by Dallas Robinson

Jamal Adams is not expected to participate in the Jets’ voluntary virtual offseason program when it begins later this month, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

Adams, 24, became eligible for an extension at the end of the 2019 regular season, but New York hasn’t shown any interest in giving him a new deal just yet, per Schefter. He’s under contract through 2020, and the Jets also hold a fifth-year option in 2021.

Of course, Adams’ recent tenure with the Jets has been anything but smooth. He was publicly dangled at the 2019 trading deadline, with Gang Green reportedly posting an extraordinary asking price of a first- and two second-round picks.

As Schefter notes, if Adams and the Jets don’t get any closer on a contract agreement, it’s possible he could be on the trade block again. However, Adams is skipping voluntary sessions, so we’re probably not at that point yet.

One of the best safeties in the NFL, Adams has been excellent since entering the league as the sixth overall pick in 2017. He earned a first-team All Pro nod in 2019, and made the Pro Bowl in both 2018 and 2019.

No Progress On Jamal Adams Contract Talks

April 5th, 2020 at 11:45am CST by Rory Parks

We heard at the end of January that the Jets and star safety Jamal Adams were beginning contract talks, but as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes, those talks have been tabled for the time being. If Adams does get a new deal from Gang Green, it will not happen until after this month’s draft, and perhaps not until closer to the start of the regular season.

In the meantime, a trade is still a possibility. The Jets made Adams available in advance of the trade deadline in October, and while their asking price was too rich for a rival club to pull the trigger, we heard that a trade could still come together before the 2020 season gets underway. The Cowboys were negotiating with the Jets in the fall — they reportedly offered a first-round pick and backup corner Anthony Brown — and Cimini says there are rumors that Dallas is planning to make another run at Adams before the draft (though the club did add Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in free agency).

However, it does not sound as if the Jets have reduced their demands. They were asking for a first-rounder and two second-rounders at the deadline, and Cimini reports that it would still take an “extraordinary offer” to convince New York to deal Adams. After all, the LSU product has already established himself as an elite safety, and he won’t turn 25 until October.

The Dallas native previously indicated he would love to join the Cowboys, so if Jerry Jones‘ outfit does swing a trade, Adams would surely be receptive to a long-term pact. But whoever gives him his next contract will need to be prepared to make him the highest-paid safety in the game. Adams stands to land a deal paying him at least $15MM per season with upwards of $45MM in guaranteed money.

Jets Want To Keep Jamal Adams “For Life”

February 25th, 2020 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Throughout the season, the conflict between the Jets and star safety Jamal Adams played out on the pages of New York tabloids. For his part, GM Joe Douglas hopes that drama is in the “rear-view mirror.” And, with that in mind, he believes a long-term deal could be on the horizon.

“The plan is for Jamal [Adams] to be a Jet for life,” Douglas told reporters on Tuesday (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini).

Douglas reiterated that there have been preliminary discussions with the Pro Bowler’s camp, but he didn’t offer up much detail beyond that. Adams has been lobbying for a new deal for a long time and he’s open to staying with Gang Green. Still, he wants to be paid appropriately, which would mean a substantial raise from his rookie deal. Per the terms of his rookie deal, Adams is set to earn just $3.5MM in 2020.

Both sides are keeping mum on details, but it’s safe to say that Adams’ camp has Eddie Jackson‘s four-year, $58.4MM deal in mind. That pact, which includes $33MM guaranteed, is the richest deal for any safety in the NFL on a per-year basis. Landon Collins‘ six-year, $84MM contract is the highest overall sum for any safety in the league, but guaranteed dollars and AAV are the true measures of a contract’s value. Besides, Adams won’t turn 25 until October and the salary cap is set to skyrocket even further, so a four-year deal or something similar would make sense for him.

The Jets shopped Adams before last year’s trade deadline, even after he told the team that he wanted to stay put. This rankled the Jets’ defensive superstar and led many to label him as a trade candidate this offseason. Until a new deal is signed to make him a “Jet for life” (or, something close to it), the speculation will continue.

Jets, Jamal Adams Begin Contract Talks

January 29th, 2020 at 4:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets and Jamal Adams have begun preliminary talks about a new contract, the safety tells Brian Costello of the New York Post. Still, the discussions are in their nascent stages – Adams says there have been “no numbers” exchanged just yet.

“I’d be lying if I said I don’t expect to be extended,” Adams said. “I do because of not for what I’ve just done on the field, but even off the field for what I’ve done for the organization. I’ve done everything they’ve asked me to do. I’ve done it at a high level each and every year. I’ve proven that I’m the best safety doing it right now.”

As it stands, Adams is set to earn just $3.5MM in 2020. Meanwhile, he’s coming off of his first First-Team All-Pro selection and his second straight Pro Bowl nod.

“I’m not trying to be paid just to be the highest-paid whatever,” Adams said. “I’m trying to get paid for my status and what I’ve done. That’s what I’m about.”

A deal in line with his production would indeed make him one of the league’s highest-paid safeties, however. Eddie Jackson‘s recent four-year, $58.4MM deal ($33MM guaranteed) with the Bears set the new watermark for safeties at an average of $14.6MM per year. Meanwhile, Landon Collins‘ six-year, $84MM deal represents the largest overall payout to any NFL safety.

The Jets will have to figure out whether they’re willing to make that sort of commitment to Adams and assess whether they can get past their recent friction. The Jets infuriated Adams by shopping him at the deadline, leading to widespread speculation that he would be traded this offseason. That still remains a very real possibility, but the talks between Gang Green and Adams’ camp could be a promising sign.

Before all that drama, Adams spent the early part of the 2019 offseason recruiting free agents on behalf of the Jets and he helped lure longtime rival Le’Veon Bell to New Jersey. Interestingly, Adams says he won’t be doing the same this time around.

“You’ve got to realize you can only recruit so much,” Adams said. “At the end of the day I don’t have too much say-so into it. That’s not really my job. But obviously I want to bring players in. We’ve got to bring some big names in to help us get over the hump, but the main thing is staying healthy.”

Jets Plan To Keep Le’Veon Bell

January 7th, 2020 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets might not have much choice in the matter, but GM Joe Douglas sounds like he expects Le’Veon Bell to return in 2020. In an interview with ESPN Radio, Douglas was complimentary of the temperamental star.

“[Bell is a] very good player…We value Le’Veon,” Douglas said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini). “We value the competitor, we value the teammate. We’re excited (for him) being in our program another year, going through our offseason again.”

Drama aside, Bell remains one of the most talented running backs in the NFL. He also has the Jets on the hook for oodles of money. Thanks to the four-year, $52.5MM contract handed to him by former GM Mike Maccagnan, Bell is slated to count for a $15.5MM cap figure in 2020 with similar numbers in 2021 and 2022. Shedding Bell this offseason would leave the Jets with $19MM in dead money and zero cap savings.

In theory, the Jets’ first real opportunity to dump Bell would come before the 2021 season, when they could save $9.5MM against $4MM in dead money. The Jets hope that won’t be necessary. Bell, who turns 28 in February, averaged just 3.2 yards per carry last year, though he still managed 66 catches for 461 yards out of the backfield.

Douglas was also asked about a potential extension for safety Jamal Adams, but he sidestepped the question. The GM only said that he’s “so happy” Adams is on the team and that the trade deadline tension “is in the rear-view mirror.”

Jamal Adams Wants To Stay With Jets

December 22nd, 2019 at 11:07am CST by Rory Parks

The Jets received plenty of interest in star safety Jamal Adams in advance of the trade deadline, but they did not get an offer to their liking. Despite that, there were reports that the Jets would deal Adams this offseason, and as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes, that is still very much on the table.

But Adams, who indicated he was hurt by the trade rumors in an odd press conference in October, recently said that he wants to remain with the Jets. “I’m here and I’ll continue to be here until I’m told differently,” Adams said. “But I want to be here.” Adams added that his “calling” is to play for Gang Green.

However, his tone could change this offseason. He will be eligible for an extension for the first time, and at just 24, he has already established himself as one of the best safeties in the game. Per Cimini, Adams will be angling for a new deal that makes him the highest-paid player at his position. That would mean a contract paying him around $15MM per season, and as the Jets have plenty of holes to fill, that could be too rich for their liking.

Plenty of teams would be willing to pay that price, though, and to part with premium draft capital to land the defensive playmaker, who was just named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl. It will be a busy offseason for new GM Joe Douglas, and resolving the Adams situation will be one of his top priorities.

Adams has a pick-six, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery returned for a TD, and a career-high 6.5 sacks this year.