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What the Jets did good (and bad) in Jamal Adams staredown – New York Jets Blog

A glimpse of what’s going on around the New York Jets:

1. To pay or not to pay: It’s bigger than a player. If the decision simply involved safety Jamal Adams, it would be obvious: you would give the man his contract extension and the best player on the team would be a happy camper. But that would be like solving only one side of a Rubik cube.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas has a macro view of the issue, which means considering the current NFL climate and the team’s future pay structure (see: quarterback Sam Darnold ). For these reasons, it is not unreasonable for the Jets to postpone Adams’ extension until next year. The problem I have How? ‘Or’ What they do, but we’ll get to that in a moment. For now, let’s take a look at the economy.

Recent history is on the side of the Jets.

Among defensive players, the only former first-round picks from 2011 to 2017 to get an extension after their third season are Patrick Peterson, Robert Quinn and JJ Watt. It’s three out of 119. (Luke Kuechly got one two days after the first game in his fourth season). played four years on their rookie offers. Adams is an excellent player, but he is not a generational talent in a premium position.

The current economic uncertainty in the league, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, must also be taken into account. The likelihood of lost revenue due to loss of stadium revenue could affect the salary cap 2021 and beyond. That’s probably a big reason why only three veterans have received overtime since April 1: Carolina Panthers Christian McCaffrey, Houston Texans tackle Laremy Tunsil, and New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung, according to Albert Breer of the MMQB.

Teams are reluctant to distribute a lot of money because there is a fear of the unknown. Would you buy a house without knowing the mortgage rate? A side note: From all indications, the Jets had established their position on Adams before the pandemic, so it’s a lame alibi if they try to use that as reason # 1.

Now let’s look at the Quarterback factor. An agreement with Darnold is looming, which must be taken into account in Adams’ calendar. When the Jets give Darnold a new deal – he’s eligible next year – that will change the pay structure, as the Jets would lose the advantage of having their quarterback on their rookie contract.

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Stephen A. Smith has a problem with the Jets who do not value Jamal Adams given his talent and voice helping the culture of the organization.

Because the NFL quarters have unique leverage, Darnold could force the problem next year (assuming he plays well in 2020), which would put the Jets in a tight spot. But they have absolutely no chance of pushing him back to 2022 if they pay Adams now. The ideal scenario is to stagger contracts – Adams in 2021, Darnold in 2022. But if the Jets pay strong security after three seasons, they can’t say no to their quarterback.

While Adams looks like the bad guy due to his commercial demand and his rant on social media, which upset team officials, the Jets aren’t exactly innocent bystanders. Douglas has fueled the expansion discussion with public comments on how he wants to make Adams “a throw for life,” but he did not support him in discussions with his agents, a source said. . The Jets have frustrated Adams with what he perceives to be a lack of communication, the source said.

It’s a fluid situation, so it’s hard to draw conclusions and cast the final blame, but my first starting point is that Douglas should have handled this better before the project, when there was still a chance to exchange it for assets that could have helped. the team in 2020. Either he did not address the issue, or he decided to launch the can on the road without any repercussions from Adams. He should have known that emotional security would be expressed.

This is not an assumption because I wrote it before the draft: it was up to Douglas to find out the asking price and Adams’ signature capacity. This would have allowed him to be proactive. And, he could have swapped a disgruntled player with huge contract requests, turning him into a first-round pick, then some. Imagine if he had given it to the Dallas Cowboys for choice # 17; the Jets could have had a large CeeDee Lamb receiver and attack Mekhi Becton.

The same thing happened in 2000, when Keyshawn Johnson asked for a new contract with two years remaining. Jets general manager Bill Parcells saw the storm clouds gather and swapped before the draft, receiving two first-round picks.

Maybe Douglas knew what was going to happen and decided he still wanted to do it, confident in his endgame strategy – which is to have Adams on the team in 2020. This saga is not finished. There will be more twists, so let’s avoid the hard shots. Maybe Douglas can turn this into a victory for the team. Remember that the Jets are still leveraged, as they hold Adams’ rights until 2022 (if you have a franchise label). These numbers will last throughout the preseason.

Result? The rest of the league will have a say in how it goes. If Adams resists and Douglas receives an offer that he cannot refuse, he will not do so.

2. Motivated bell: Despite the lack of training in the spring, the Jets tried something different to improve their racing game, which finished 31st last season. They held a separate virtual meeting for offensive linemen, tight ends and back runners, an after-school session, so to speak, which allowed them to discuss terminology and concepts. Coach Adam Gase said it allowed them to “clean up any gray we could have had last year”.

And, yes, veteran ball carrier Le’Veon Bell participated.

“I think it’s something he enjoyed,” said Gase.

People close to Bell say he is very motivated to prove that last season was an aberration.

3. The Jeffersons: The second round of the project created mixed emotions for wide receiver Shawn Jefferson. The Jets selected the Denzel Mims wide receiver with the 59th choice. For a few fleeting moments in Jefferson’s house, there was hope that the choice would be Shawn’s son, Van, a well-regarded broad spectrum who went to the Rams at No. 57.

“My son said to me,” Hey, dad, I hope I can become a Jet. I would love to play for you, “said Jefferson. “He was excited. He really wanted to come play for the Jets. At the start, we got a phone call and I said to myself, “Oh, man! At the same time, I was just sad. But at one point, I was delighted and happy for him because he had done all the hard work. His childhood dream came true. “

Elder Jefferson laughed.

“The thing I’m most happy about is that I don’t have to take care of him anymore,” he said. “He can take care of himself.”

4. Costly hearing: One of the training camp scenarios will be linebacker Avery Williamson, whom many thought was a victim of the off-season cap. Williamson ($ 8.5 million charge) will have a chance in the preseason to be part of the team, according to linebacker coach Frank Bush, who has suggested that Williamson’s recovery from ACL surgery would be an important factor in the decision. “What we need to do now is put it on the grass and assess what it really is,” said Bush.

5. Ravens & Colts everywhere: After a busy offseason, the Jets can say they have at least one ex-Ravens or ex-Indianapolis Colts in each position group. The reason is obvious: Douglas has experience in Baltimore and GM assistant Rex Hogan came from Indianapolis. Here is a sample (listing only one per position):

Ex-Ravens: quarterback Joe Flacco, ball carrier Kenneth Dixon, wide receiver Breshad Perriman, guard Alex Lewis and linebacker CJ Mosley.

Ex-Colts: tight end Ross Travis, defensive lineman Henry Anderson, cornerback Pierre Desir, safety Matthias Farley and snapper Thomas Hennessy.

6. Battle of life and death: It was sad to hear the news of former Jets defensive tackle Josh Evans, who is battling cancer at an Atlanta hospital. Evans, who played for the Jets from 2002 to 2004, has always been the most upbeat guy in the locker room. I once wrote that Evans had two moods – happy and happier. He had a difficult life. He grew up poor in Alabama, was shot in a drive-by, stabbed in a street fight and served a prison sentence, but he beat the odds and reached the NFL. He asks for prayers as he fights illness. Good luck, Josh.

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