The Jets made a successful trade on Saturday, sending star safety Jamal Adams to the Seahawks for a monstrous return, including two first-round picks. Here are some ideas about the deal:
one) The word I keep going back to when I think about how all this happened is sad. The Jets were so hopeful in 2017 when they recruited Adams that they had landed a player who would be a star for a decade and who would also help change the organization’s culture. Three years later, he left.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas had no choice here. Had to switch to Adams. First, Adams’ request to be the highest paid player on the team was never accepted. Then the smear campaign that Adams launched against the organization made all of this feel unmovable. Finally, when the Seahawks offered two first-round picks, a third-round, and a player who can replace Adams in the starting lineup, it became obvious.
Although the trade had to be done, I understand the frustration of some Jets fans. This is another young star who showed so much promise and is now being sent out of town. Keyshawn Johnson, John Abraham, Darrelle Revis, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams and now Adams. It’s easy to see why fans would be upset, but only the last two happened under Douglas’s watch, and there’s no arguing with the ride he got on those two exchanges.
Still, I find it sad that it has come to this. The Jets have so few good players that they’ve played their entire careers for them. Adams looked like he had a chance. Now it’s over.
two) Adams is a fantastic player. That should not be missed here. Some people now want to take him down as a player. You should not. I’ve said this before: If the players were out there without numbers, you could tell what Adams was for his energy and how hard he hits.
However, Adams’ leadership has been overstated. Adams led by being a great player. He was not a beloved figure in the locker room and I’m not sure how many teammates will be sad to see him go. They will miss his ability on the field, but not his act outside of it. Adams became more and more about himself about the team, from his social media character “Prez” to yelling at his teammates on the bench in Jacksonville last year.
It was also evident from the way he handled the trade deadline talks last year. It was no secret that Adams was trying to get to the Cowboys behind the scenes. Then, he acted as if he had been hurt by the Jets. When he spoke to the press, he actually said he “would love” to be in the Cowboys. That did not sit well with teammates.
3) Douglas hit a home run with this trade. It seemed like an impossible situation after Adams attacked the organization. I thought that would harm his ability to get a good trade. Douglas discovered it.
Now, you must turn these picks into key players. The Jets have four first-round picks in the next two years. Douglas has to tackle the premium positions the Jets lack: edge-rusher, cornerback, right tackle and wide receiver.
This trade could provide the building blocks for the next decade. Douglas now has a capital project to shape this list. The difficult part will be nailing the selections.
4) The Jets aren’t as good as they were on safety Friday, but they still have a pretty good group there with Marcus Maye, Bradley McDougald, and Ashtyn Davis. Adams’ trade could bode well for Maye’s future. You are entering the last year of your contract. The Jets could not have extended it if they had given Adams a great deal. That could change now.
McDougald is an underrated part of the trade. He played well for the Seahawks in the past two years and is reputed to be a good team.
Davis is a stranger at the moment, but the Jets were very interested in him in the draft process and he could be a long-term starter.
5) The reach of the draft picks the Jets received in the trade bodes well for the future. But this puts the 2020 Jets in a tough spot, particularly coaches who always struggle to keep their jobs.
Douglas has the benefit of patience. He is building something. Coaches like Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams do not. If the losses increase this year, there will be pressure to fire the coaches. The 2020 Jets are less talented now than on Friday. Some might argue that getting rid of a headache like Adams is better for the team as a whole, but he is a good player who will be missed on the field.
The Jets list still has a lot of holes. That is why it makes sense to spin off your best asset for the capital project. But coaches have a challenge ahead. The patience of fans for reception will not extend to banking.
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