Jamal Adams # 33 of the New York Jets (Photo by Will Newton / Getty Images)
According to a report, the idea of the 49ers being traded for the safety of Jets superstar Jamal Adams is “speeding up.”
It wasn’t difficult for the San Francisco 49ers to think about the idea of a possible trade for New York Jets safety All-Pro Jamal Adams, particularly after he reportedly said he would consider the Niners a destination. preferred commercial after continued failure of contract extensions with the team that selected him in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft.
While it seemed like an impossible dream, another report on Wednesday suggested that the reality of an exchange might be closer than initially thought.
Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn, citing a source, suggested that an exchange from Adams to San Francisco had slightly more momentum than the idea of it happening.
His words:
I just got a direct message from a well-placed source saying Jamal Adams to the 49ers is “speeding up.”
This doesn’t mean Adams makes it to the 49ers, but it certainly has more reality than it did a few days ago. And it would be a big problem.
Interesting.
The NFL rumor mill is always entertaining, and the thought that Adams wants to switch teams to join San Francisco in the middle of his Super Bowl window.
Cohn also pointed out the immediate financial ramifications, too, citing the contractual obligations of the first-round first-round pick entering 2020:
Adams is great, available, young, and not particularly expensive. The 49ers would have to pay him $ 7.1 million in 2020, and $ 9.8 million in 2021 before extending his contract in 2022 when the salary cap could be $ 50 million higher than it is now.
San Francisco could end up losing its current strong initial security, Jaquiski Tartt, in free agency in 2021. Therefore, there is a long-term need there, and there is little doubt that Adams would be an improvement.
So what would prevent the Niners from pulling the trigger?
Why the 49ers wouldn’t trade for Jamal Adams.
San Francisco is projected to have just under $ 50 million in cap space by 2021, and the current COVID-19 pandemic could reduce the league’s ability to increase the cap in the coming seasons.
Adams would enter the fourth year of his contract, so the fifth year option is available. But the Niners have to consider extensions for current star players like linebacker Fred Warner and tight end All-Pro George Kittle. Not far behind, EDGE Nick Bosa could end up being the highest-paid defensive player in the league.
All of those reasons could hinder the 49ers’ ability to pay a player like Adams, even if players switch to the Jets to free up cap space.
That said, the other part of the equation would be for San Francisco to need to get some of those cheaper rookie contracts instead of swapping draft picks. In Adams’ case, a first-round pick would be the base, and the Niners projected as a playoff team means that the first round wouldn’t be as valuable as many other teams that are potentially not in the mix.
The 49ers have six picks in the 2020 draft, currently, but it doesn’t seem too likely that they’ll dispense a sizable amount to bring Adams on board.
There is a chance that Adams could derail its business value by threatening to be out this season. But nothing of the sort has been reported, so one should expect New York to ask for as much as it can.
And at least according to Cohn, the 49ers are considering what it could be.
