From the Jets point of view, the Seahawks last deal was too great to deny. On one hand, Adams sure appears like the sort of foundation a restoring group like the Jets would wish to hang onto: Hes a flexible, impactful protector who could have been a foundational existence for several years to come. Even as Adams loudly and publicly tried to force a trade, the Jets had no factor to captivate low-ball deals. But when a group offers two first-round picks and a starting-caliber safety in exchange for somebody who wants out anyway, it d be careless not to consider it. Douglas had no factor to listen to the Adams noise and let another team pilfer the very best player on his lineup, but New Yorks return in this offer is proof that he was negotiating from a position of strength.
When Douglas was handed the Jets GM task in June 2019, he faced a brutal uphill climb following years of organizational incompetence. The Jets are considerably even worse without Adams in the short term, however including two first-round choices might provide a substantial lift for a team attempting to identify its long-term plan and instructions. The Jets are poised to get in the 2021 offseason with significant cap versatility, even if the cap settles around the agreed-upon $175 million flooring, plus numerous first-round picks.
Seattles thinking here is more complex, and deserving of a bit more scrutiny. Dealing for Adams falls in line with the aggressive approach that GM John Schneider has actually accepted throughout his period. In the past fiscal year alone, the Seahawks have actually traded for pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, security Quandre Diggs, defensive back Quinton Dunbar, and now Adams. And if we go back a little more, Schneider parted with first-round picks when trading for Percy Harvin and Jimmy Graham. Hes a GM whos ready to turn over every rock to improve his roster, and that mind-set has paid dividends.
Selecting near the bottom of the very first round the previous couple of years, the Seahawks have actually consistently taken low-ceiling gamers at decreased the value of positions. Running back Rashaad Penny, pass rusher L.J. Collier, and linebacker Jordyn Brooks were all first-round picks that were instantly met with criticism about positional value.
Wilson is the foundational piece of Seattles recent team-building model, and the reason Schneider most likely felt comfy making a vibrant move to snag Adams. While theres been plenty of hand-wringing about the Seahawks offending viewpoint, Wilson is great enough to make this group pertinent in the NFC no matter the method. The Adams trade is undoubtedly risky, however the Seahawks are operating as if theyll be a force in the NFC both this season and for years to come.
New York sent the All-Pro safety and a 2022 fourth-round choice to the Seahawks in exchange for two first-round picks (in 2021 and 2022), a 2021 third-rounder, and veteran safety Bradley McDougald. Douglas likely made clear to Seattle that Adams was a young superstar initially and a safety 2nd– and young superstars arent traded in the NFL for less than two first-round choices.
It might not have actually been apparent since the Seahawks continued winning at a good clip, however the franchise underwent its own version of a restore over the past couple of seasons. As the Legion of Boom age ended, Schneider purged Seattles lineup of nearly all its pricey veteran contracts. The franchise followed that de facto reset by momentarily making Russell Wilson the highest-paid QB in the NFL with a four-year, $140 million offer; a couple of months later on, it made Bobby Wagner the leagues highest-paid linebacker by handing him a three-year, $54 million extension. The thought was that Wilson and Wagner would function as the focal points on offense and defense, respectively, which the Seahawks might use their newly found versatility to construct around them however they selected. With so much blank canvas to deal with, Schneider has actually assaulted the trade market whenever a prospective effect gamer has ended up being readily available, and hes done it again with Adams. Seattle is set to have more than $30 million in cap area for 2021, even if the cap settles at the $175 million flooring. The Seahawks were distinctively placed to make this sort of splash move– for more reasons than one.
One disadvantage of trading for a gamer only to provide him a monster extension is that it diminishes the cap resources a team may require to eventually sign its own draft picks. For the Seahawks, their current draft stumbles have actually gotten rid of that commitment. Seattles 2016 first-round pick Germain Ifedi is already off the roster. Neither of their 2017 second-rounders is in line for a big extension; in truth, defensive take on Malik McDowell is out of the league totally. Penny was displaced by late-round pick Chris Carson as the groups starting running back. And even if Collier comes on this season, the most rewarding parts of his offer will likely start after the initial assurances in an Adams extension would have currently been paid. While cornerback Shaquill Griffin is set to be a totally free representative next offseason and is in line for a new deal, the Seahawks otherwise do not have any major looming financial dedications on the horizon. Even with the cap uncertainty, Seattle needs to still have the space to comfortably fit Adams on the books when his extension kicks in.
Rare is the NFL trade that right away appears to make sense for both parties, but thats precisely what we got on Saturday. After investing the past couple of months trying to outline his escape from the Jets, Jamal Adams finally got his desire. New York sent out the All-Pro safety and a 2022 fourth-round choice to the Seahawks in exchange for 2 first-round choices (in 2021 and 2022), a 2021 third-rounder, and veteran security Bradley McDougald. Its a huge haul for Jets basic supervisor Joe Douglas, specifically for someone who doesnt play what is commonly thought about a premium position. But the deal seems to line up with the vision that both franchises have, for today and the future.
The Seahawks lineup makeup and promising outlook are reasons why assessing trades like this in a vacuum is tough. Based on the terms, its undeniable that Seattle overpaid for Adams, however its simple to comprehend why Schneider was willing to make the trade anyway. And for the Jets, its a savvy long-lasting move for a group playing the long video game.
The distinction with the Adams trade is that this isnt a circumstances of Schneider raiding another lineup for value. Seattle paid full freight to bring Adams into the fold.
For a Seahawks defense with substantial questions about its pass rush, Adams is the sort of multifaceted star who could compensate for other defects and put this team over the top. And for 2 first-round picks, he better. When a group with a spotty draft record makes a relocation like this, a typical refrain in NFL circles is that those picks probably would have gone to squander anyhow. In many cases, that line of thinking is ridiculous. Draft success has proven gradually to be random. The most essential aspect in structure fantastic teams through the draft is consistently having enough picks to get several chances at finding the right gamers.
The knee-jerk reaction is that Seattle quit a lot for Adams, who will likely request a market-setting extension as part of the deal and now has the take advantage of to make it happen. Two first-round picks is a substantial financial investment, especially thinking about that the other gamers whove fetched that much in recent trades have actually been an elite pass rush (Khalil Mack), left take on (Laremy Tunsil), and cornerback (Jalen Ramsey). However I would not be surprised if Douglas utilized those deals as a starting point in settlements. Safeties arent generally a high-value position, but Adams isnt a normal safety. He lined up at almost every protective position for the Jets last season and completed with 13 quarterback hits, 7 pass separations, 6.5 sacks, two required fumbles, and an interception. According to Pro Football Focus, Adams tallied 23 disrupted dropbacks on just 90 pass-rush snaps, making him by far the most disruptive pass rush in the NFL on a per-play basis. Douglas likely explained to Seattle that Adams was a young super star first and a safety second– and young superstars arent sold the NFL for less than two first-round picks.
The Jets are substantially worse without Adams in the short term, however adding two first-round choices might offer a huge lift for a team attempting to determine its long-lasting plan and direction. In the past calendar year alone, the Seahawks have traded for pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, safety Quandre Diggs, defensive back Quinton Dunbar, and now Adams. The Adams trade is unquestionably dangerous, however the Seahawks are operating as if theyll be a force in the NFC both this season and for years to come.
