Former New York Jets safety Jamal Adams was loud and outspoken during his contract dispute with the team, but did not speak to get out of town, according to the man who negotiated one of the biggest exchanges in franchise history. .
General manager Joe Douglas said Adams’ outspokenness had no impact on the decision to move him to the Seattle Seahawks. At the same time, Douglas was offended by one of Adams’s claims.
“I want to make it clear: I never promised Jamal or his agent an offer, nor was I dishonest with any communication with his camp,” Douglas said in a conference call with reporters Monday.
Several months of aggression culminated with box office success Saturday as the Jets unloaded Adams for a package that includes first-round picks 2021 and 2022 and safety veteran Bradley McDougald.
Adams raised the temperature and criticized Douglas, coach Adam Gase, and owner Woody Johnson. Most of his anger stemmed from the team’s unwillingness to give him a contract extension. A day after he attacked Gase and Douglas in the New York Daily News, the exchange was announced.
“Look, this is a business and you don’t take things personally,” said Douglas. “Obviously, there is a reason those things were said. I don’t take them personally. I don’t think anyone has ever taken them personally … I can promise you that didn’t affect us with any of our decision making over the past week.
“For us, I certainly don’t think this is a precedent for a player to be shot out of town. I’m not worried about that precedent.”
Sources said the parameters of the exchange were in effect before Adams’ comments were published in the Daily News. Previously, he lashed out at the organization on social media, saying he was promised in January that he would receive an offer.
Adams, 24, has two years remaining on his contract for a total of $ 13.5 million. He will play this season under his current contract.
The Jets wanted to postpone an extension until 2021. When asked why he didn’t want to extend Adams this offseason, Douglas said it was rare for defensive players recruited in the first round to receive new deals after their third season. He also cited the uncertainty with the salary cap due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Douglas said he was not opposed to having Adams in training camp hoping for a truce, if not a contract extension.
“But obviously we received an offer that was too difficult to pass up,” he said. “We decided to go ahead with that decision.”
Gase, whose leadership was questioned by Adams in the Daily News, has yet to comment on the exchange. Douglas ran to the coach’s defense, offering unsolicited support in his opening remarks.
“I especially believe in Coach Gase,” said Douglas. “I think he is the right coach to lead this team, having seen him work last year and see him and his staff make it 1-7. I feel really good about where we are with him and his leadership.”
In the end, the Jets switched to their best player, weakening their 2020 roster. Douglas tried to put a positive spin on it, insisting: “I wouldn’t agree that we’re going to play in 2020.”
“We are trying to build this the right way. I think this agreement helps us do it. We are working to build a base of great players and great people. We have a group of guys who are very driven and hungry to prove that the end of the Last year it was no accident. “
.
