Why The New York Jets Should Trade Jamal Adams—But On Their Timetable

The already-deteriorating relationship between superstar safety Jamal Adams and the New York Jets grew even more strained Thursday when the disgruntled Adams took to Instagram for the second time in less than a week to vent his frustration with the lack of progress toward a contract extension. 

Matters grew even more dire later in the day when the New York Daily News reported that Adams, a two-time Pro Bowler, has told the team that he wants to be traded.  

That’s a lot to digest, so let’s take it point-by-point. 

Should the Jets trade Adams? Yes. As I wrote here, as good of a player as he is, and he is quite good, Adams needs to make more of an impact as a ball-hawking defensive back or as a sack-happy blitzer (and not merely against rookie quarterbacks) to justify a big-ticket contract extension. And if he is going to complain constantly, then perhaps he doesn’t want to be a part of the “culture” that general manager Joe Douglas espoused last New Year’s Eve in his 2019 season-ending news conference. 

Douglas said then, “It’s going to take people with the right level of commitment, character and competence. Every person, every player that we bring into this building, they’re going to be assessed on their fit within our culture and their ability to help us achieve our ultimate goal, which is win a Super Bowl, year in and year out.”

Look, Adams’ position is understandable when one looks at the horrific NFL experience of his father, George Adams. He, too was a first-round draft pick, the 19th overall selection in 1985 by the New York Giants. The elder Adams, a promising running back from the University of Kentucky, rushed for 498 yards at 3.9 yards per carry as a rookie in 1985. But he never suited up for the team’s 1986 Super Bowl champions because of a devastating hip injury suffered in practice before the season. 

George Adams now has great difficulty merely walking, and his left leg is three inches shorter than his right one because of subsequent complications, according to the New Orleans Advocate. Adams pressed on for 60 more games and 209 more touches from scrimmage after the injury over five more seasons of constant pain. 

George Adams wore No. 33. Jamal Adams wears No. 33. It’s easy to understand, given the equally violent nature of Jamal Adams’ chosen football position, that he would want to make as much money as possible as quickly as possible after watching his father struggle physically for so long. But the sad fact for Adams, who is scheduled to make $3.59 million this season, is that the game is not played that way at the bargaining table. Having exercised their fifth-year option last month, the Jets control Adams’ contract through the end of the 2021 season. 

And no amount of Instagram posts can change that. However, those missives might cause Douglas to decide Adams does not fit into the culture he is building. 

Should the Jets trade Adams now? No. If he chooses this route, Douglas must do this on his timetable, not that of Adams. Although Adams posted “Don’t use the pandemic excuse” in terms of contract negotiations, that isn’t exactly valid. Nor would it be with a potential trade. 

It still is not clear what an NFL season amidst the coronavirus pandemic will look like, or if it even will be played. That fact was underscored by epidemiologist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who told CNN on Thursday he thinks it would be “very hard” for him to see football being played this year.

With this uncertain backdrop, the 2021 NFL salary cap seems almost certain to decrease from the 2020 value of $198.2 million. That would affect what Adams’ potential suitors could afford to pay him if they, indeed, are prepared to rip up his current contract. Also, it would not make much sense for the Jets to try to make a trade now when the entire football world would know they are trying to unload Adams. It would be more prudent to do that transaction when (and if) training camps actually open. 

But unless something changes drastically, this relationship appears to be irrevocably broken.