The Jets and Jamal Adams have hit what appears to be an imminent breakup. The star safety has been critical of the Jets ever since the 2019 trade deadline and the final straw appears to have been broken.
Last Thursday, Adams requested a trade out of New York despite the fact that the Jets own his rights for two more years. From Adams’s perspective, he feels the Jets betrayed him and because he hasn’t been extended, he wants out.
Is all of this really the full story? Here is a detailed look at what Adams is dealing with.
Selected with the sixth pick in 2017, Adams has been the best safety in the league the last two seasons. Through 46 career games, he has 12 sacks, two interceptions, six forced fumbles, and 210 solo tackles. He also led all safeties last season with 6.5 sacks. The only other player in the league with 200-plus tackles, 10-plus sacks, and 25-plus pass breakups in his first three seasons is Houston Texans star, J.J. Watt.
Adams is a two-time All-Pro and two-time Pro-Bowler, and the Jets have said many times that they plan to make him “a Jet for life.” That period of claims has come and gone with no real extension talks. The 24-year-old Adams wants security after watching his father, George Adams, have his own career derailed due to the lack of security in New York.
The Jets shopped the younger Adams at the 2019 trade deadline despite proclaiming that he would be a Jet for life. Adams has been through several coaching and front office changes which makes the whole process of development that much harder.
The only player in the 2017 draft class that is better than Adams is Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Adams feels betrayed and simply wants out. He isn’t upset at the fans or the city. He is upset with the people calling the shots in the Jets’ organization.
Adams also has listed eight teams that he is interested in landing with. He didn’t even ask for an extension with these ideal landing spots, which shows that he trusts the security of the executive staff among those eight squads. The ideal fits all have a great history of consistency, which appeals to Adams.
Overall, Adams isn’t upset at any player, fan, or city. He is tired of the dysfunction.
