New York Jets safety Jamal Adams has requested a trade to leave the Jets. Adams has wanted a new contract for some time. He has two years left on a four-year $22.3 million deal signed when the Jets drafted him in the first round (6th overall) in 2017. Earlier today, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter broke the news on his Twitter account, saying, “Adams would welcome a trade with seven teams.”
One of those teams is the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have needed to upgrade their safety position for years. This offseason, the Eagles selected safety K’Von Wallace from Clemson in the second round. They resigned Rodney McLeod for two years, brought back Jalen Mills for a year, and added Rudy Ford and Will Parks. The only other safety on the Eagles roster is Marcus Epps. All of these guys are in their mid-20s except for McLeod, who will turn 29 in six days. The Eagles also let go of safety Malcolm Jenkins.
Letting Jenkins go was the right move for the team to get younger and faster. Would adding Adams to the team be worth it? Adams is only 24-years-old and ranks among the best safeties in the NFL. In his three years with the Jets, he has 12 sacks, best in the NFL for defensive backs, six force fumbles which were tied for 2nd, and 272 tackles which were ranked fifth. These numbers will have any NFL team wanting to acquire his services.
However, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported, the Jets have no intention of trading him. Former Eagles Vice President Joe Douglas is the General Manager for the Jets. He is going to want a ton in return, which would be out of most teams’ price ranges.
The problem with bringing a player like Adams to the Eagles is he wants a new contract, and the Eagles don’t have enough in cap room to sign a player like Adams. With a chance that fans may not be able to attend games this year, NFL teams could be facing the possibility that the salary cap could be lowered, and organizations are going to have to make cuts that some fans won’t like.
Given the circumstances right now, I don’t see the Jets trading Adams. While it would be nice to see him in an Eagles uniform, the Eagles won’t be able to keep him long-term unless they get rid of one or two high-priced players to make room for Adams for the money he is going to command. The Eagles made significant upgrades to the secondary position. Unless the Jets give the Eagles a discount, Adams will still be suiting up for the New York Jets.
