Jamal Adams - Pro Football Rumors

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.

AFC Notes: Colts, Pats, Bills, Adams, Green

December 4th, 2019 at 9:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Vinatieri landed on the Colts‘ injury report Wednesday, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes the 24th-year kicker went through an MRI after practice (Twitter link). Despite the scrutiny that’s come due to his poor performance, Vinatieri has kicked in every Colts game this season. But doubt exists about his Sunday status, leading Indianapolis to claim ex-Charger and 49er Chase McLaughlin. Vinatieri is planning to meet with Colts brass Thursday about the next course of action, per Pelissero. Considering his performance and teams not traditionally big on carrying two kickers, it seems IR could be a possibility for the NFL’s all-time scoring kingpin.

Midway through the Week 14 lead-up, let’s take a look at the latest coming out of the AFC. Additional kicker uncertainty exists within this conference.

Both the Bills and Patriots attempted to claim McLaughlin, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. New England is without a kicker presently and has used four this season. Kai Forbath replaced Nick Folk, with the latter undergoing an emergency appendectomy, but the Pats cut the former this week. Folk would seem the likely option, but the Pats were prepared to make McLaughlin their fifth 2019 kicker. The Bills made McLaughlin a priority UDFA signing in May but waived him after the preseason. Stephen Hauschka has missed four field goals over the past six Bills games.
T.Y. Hilton acknowledged the possibility he will not play again this season. The Colts‘ top skill-position talent re-injured his calf last week and missed Week 13. He did not practice Wednesday. “I’m doing everything I can to get back out there,” Hilton said, via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. “If I can, I can. If I can’t, then I’m going to have to shut it down, but I’m doing everything I can (to return).” Hilton has missed five games this season; the Colts are 1-4 in those contests.
Jamal Adams will likely miss the Jets‘ Week 14 game, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Pro Bowl safety suffered a sprained ankle in Gang Green’s loss in Cincinnati. Adams has not missed a game as a pro.
The A.J. Green refrain continues. Zac Taylor said Wednesday he does not expect the Pro Bowl wideout will not return for Week 14. The Bengals have played the entire season without Green, a 2020 free agent-to-be. Given a recent positive progress report, the 31-year-old receiver remains out. A full redshirt season may spook some potential suitors in free agency, but Green returning to a 1-11 Bengals team and suffering another setback would probably affect his market more.

Jamal Adams, Le’Veon Bell May Be Traded In 2020

November 3rd, 2019 at 8:58am CST by Rory Parks

The trade deadline has come and gone, and Jamal Adams is still a member of the Jets. That’s largely because New York’s asking price of a first-rounder and two second-rounders for its star safety was too rich for rival clubs, but before the Jets started asking for draft picks, they asked for players.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, when the Cowboys called the Jets to discuss an Adams trade, New York GM Joe Douglas asked about the availability of Dallas guard Zack Martin and left tackle Tyron Smith. Dallas made it clear that neither offensive lineman was available, and the Cowboys’ best offer ended up being a first-round pick and backup corner Anthony Brown. However, as Rapoport observes, Douglas’ initial ask is suggestive of how he plans to construct his roster going forward: from the inside out.

Dallas’ and Baltimore’s interest in Adams was previously reported, though Rapoport says the Jets received double-digit phone calls on the 24-year-old. RapSheet adds that a third team actually put forth the strongest offer, though who that team is and the details of the offer are presently unknown.

But the fact that Adams will be with Gang Green for the rest of the year does not mean that he will be with the club in 2020. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com believes Douglas will end up dealing Adams prior to the 2020 draft, and Cimini cites Adams’ “overreaction” to the trade rumors as one of the primary reasons for his prediction.

Adams’ post-deadline public comments in which he voiced his frustration and surprise that the Jets would even think about trading him are emblematic of what Cimini deems a me-first mentality that Adams has begun to display, a mentality which also manifested itself in a locker room blowup during halftime of last week’s loss to the Jaguars. Whether one agrees with Cimini’s characterization of these incidents or not, it seems true enough that Adams’ tenure with the Jets could be drawing to a close (especially given that he will be extension-eligible for the first time after this season).

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports also hears that Adams could be dealt in 2020, and JLC’s sources suggest that Adams and Le’Veon Bell may be traded at next year’s combine. La Canfora adds that the Jets were eager to move Bell and cornerback Trumaine Johnson at the deadline, but there was little interest in them because of their salaries. And while the Jets will surely not find any takers for Johnson in 2020, other clubs may be willing to take the plunge on Bell, and Adams will remain a hot commodity.

But for what it’s worth, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv believes the Jets should build around Adams, Bell, Sam Darnold, and Quinnen Williams and not subject the club’s fanbase to another teardown. As many have said about the division-rival Dolphins’ rebuild — draft picks are great, but a rebuilding outfit needs core players too — the Jets should not blindly pursue premium draft capital at the expense of their foundational pieces.

Jets’ Jamal Adams On Trade Talk, Cowboys

October 30th, 2019 at 4:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets passed on offers for Jamal Adams before the trade deadline, signaling a desire to keep one of the game’s best young safeties in the fold. After rejecting the Cowboys, Ravens, and others, the Jets will now have to focus on mending fences.

In a Wednesday press conference with reporters, Adams said that he was “hurt” by the rumors. Then, he professed his love for the Cowboys.

Here’s a look at the highlights of Adams’ bizarre presser, via Brian Costello of the New York Post.

On the trade rumblings:

“When I heard that, my agent called me and told me what was going on, it definitely hurt me…I hold myself at a high level. The Rams don’t take calls on Aaron Donald. The Patriots don’t take calls on Tom Brady. That’s where I hold myself. When you feel like you’re on the same page and you have a meeting and you’re told something different, it sucks.”

On the Cowboys:

“I would love to go to (the Cowboys). I am born and raised in Dallas. … Michael Irvin is like my uncle.”

On whether he wants to remain with the Jets beyond this season:

“For the future, I don’t know. I really don’t. I thought I did, but I don’t know right now.”

“I have a lot of goals and aspirations and dreams here in New York. I was told something and it didn’t happen that way…For three years, I came here and I’ve done nothing but work my butt off, continue to improve, continue to be a great leader, continue to be a great teammate, and when you see certain things like that, you hear about it, you get calls, you’re in shock a little bit. At the end of the day, it’s a business. I get it. I understand it. I hold myself in a high regard and obviously they don’t feel that way.”