Jamal Adams Trade Recap

Author: Harry Alsfine

In what has been a bizarre NFL offseason in every way, the almost NBA-esque movement of huge stars across the league being no exception. From D-Hop to the Cards, Diggs to Buffalo, and now, Jets safety Jamal Adams going to the Seattle, we’re seeing a multitude of highly impactful players being traded and disrupting power structure across the league. The Adams trade, which occurred earlier this week, has a huge influence on the direction of 2 franchises.

The details of the trade are:

Jets receive: -2021 first-rounder, -2021 third-rounder, -2022 first-rounder –Bradley McDougald

Seahawks receive: -Jamal Adams -2022 fourth-round pick

Upon first glance, the Jets got A LOT. No matter how ridiculously talented Jamal Adams is, he plays safety, which is going to intrinsically hurt his value. Over the past couple seasons the only players traded for 2 first-rounders are Khalil Mack, Laremy Tunsil, and Jalen Ramsey. Mack and Tunsil both bring excellence and stability to their respective teams and lines, while Ramsey is one of the top corners in the league. For Jets GM Joe Douglas to get a haul for Adams reminiscent of one of the 3 previously mentioned players, is impressive. In addition, Bradley McDougald is a very legitimate player. A starter for the Seahawks this past season, McDougald especially thrived in coverage holding opponents to the sixth-lowest completion percentage among safeties (54.4%) and seventh-lowest passer rating (58.8%), as well as not surrendering a single touchdown.

Although difficult to bash any team for acquiring arguably a top 10 overall talent in the league, still on their rookie deal, this one feels a little desperate for the Seahawks. By giving up the 2 first, Seattle mortgages the future, and has to feel that a team lead by impact guys such as Jamal Adams, Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, is a Super Bowl contender. I’m just not so sure. Every move Seattle makes should be to get more competitive with the 49ers, a division rival, and last year’s NFC West and NFC champions.

Two glaring areas of weakness on the Seahawks roster are the offensive and defensive lines. For the 2019 season PFF rated the Seahawks as having the 28thranked D-line and 32ndranked O-line. For the Seahawks to have any chance at making a Super Bowl run they need to put their 12thman home-field to use. That can only happen if they win the division; and good luck doing that when Nick Bosa is breathing down Russ’s neck for 60 minutes. The Seahawks also won 11 one-possession games this past season. That’s right, the 11-5 team won 11 one-possession games, so for all my non-math people out there, that’s all of them. No chance that can be replicated in 2020, I don’t care how perfect Russell Wilson is.

It almost seems that the Seahawks said, “well we’re so far behind the 49ers line-play, let’s go get Jamal Adams and just see what happens.” And, this strategy might work. Jamal Adams is really good, and makes the secondary almost as elite as the Legion of Boom days. Russell Wilson is better than every QB not named Mahomes, and Pete Carrol will rightfully be in Canton one day, so we can never count out the Hawks. However, walking away from this trade I’m feeling really good if I’m a Jets fan. It’s never a good thing to give up a player as talented as Adams, but Mr. Douglas got the farm, almost twice as much as what division rival Miami got for a comparable young defensive back, Minkah Fitzpatrick. The words “competent” and “Jets GM” have not been in the same sentence in quite some time. It sure looks like Jets General Manager Joe Douglas is the most competent in the room.