The New York Jets won't be reaching a deal with Jamal Adams any time soon, as the sides have reached an impasse in contract talks. Per ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Jets want to wait on reaching a long-term deal with Adams -- who wants a new contract before the 2020 season starts.
Adams is scheduled for a cap hit of $7,172,348 this year (per Over The Cap) and $3.5 million is guaranteed. The Jets picked up his fifth-year option for $9.9 million earlier this month, giving both sides more time to get a deal done. Adams' deadline changes those plans, as ESPN's report states the sides haven't discussed money in contract negotiations.
Adams and the Jets have had a rocky relationship over the past year. The Jets were reportedly considering trading Adams in the offseason, and many teams have reportedly reached out to the Jets to express their interest in Adams. The Dallas Cowboys attempted to trade for Adams at the trade deadline last October, reportedly offering a first and third-round pick to acquire him.
Adams denied he ever requested a trade, which led to some disagreements between him and the Jets front office. Adams cleared the air with Jets general manager Joe Douglas and expressed his desire to remain with the Jets long-term. With that in the rearview mirror, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano reports that New York has no intention of trading Adams. While Adams waits for a new deal, he is skipping the Jets voluntary offseason workouts.
A First Team All-Pro in 2019, Adams finished with 75 tackles, 13 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, seven passes defensed and an interception. Opposing quarterbacks targeting Adams had just a 75.2 passer rating and completed just 55.3% of their passes.
While a deadline is set for Adams, the Jets believe they have time to work out a deal since they have the safety under team control for two more years. Adams is just the 25th highest-paid safety in the NFL in terms of average annual salary, so a significant raise is in order. The four highest-paid safeties in the league all average over $14 million in average annual salary, which could be a goal for Adams in the contract negotiations to follow.
If the Jets and Adams fail to re-enter negotiations, Adams may be the hottest commodity on the trade market.