News is a little slow for most teams around the NFL right now, but fortunately not for the Dallas Cowboys. There are still plenty of top storylines to keep all of us around Cowboys Nation entertained, the latest of which is the impasse the New York Jets and Jamal Adams have hit in contract negotiations.
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Contract negotiations between the New York Jets and their All-Pro Safety Jamal Adams continues to captivate Dallas Cowboys fans. The thought of adding a true difference maker to the backend of the Cowboys defense is a move that could put this team over the top.
Today, I want to share with all of you what I’ve heard and read in regards to both Jamal Adams and the Dallas Cowboys. Hopefully it puts things in a little better perspective in regards to all of the trade rumors and speculation surfacing around the Internet almost daily.
*Side note: Calvin Watkins reports no interest from the Cowboys right now
Jamal Adams’ Value With Jets and Cowboys
When it comes to a players value it differs from team to team. Jamal Adams’ value in New York is a little different than it would be in Dallas. For instance, the Jets believe Adams is a cornerstone player they can build around. Unfortunately for them, he’s also their best player with very little talent surrounding him. Good, even great, players have minimal impact on bad teams. Even a talented player like Adams can’t drag the Jets out of NFL purgatory without help.
Adams’ value in Dallas is an entirely different story. The Cowboys are far superior to the Jets as far as talent is concerned. Adding Jamal to the backend of their defense not only makes their secondary better, but vastly improves the overall defense as well. His addition could very likely equate a few more wins a season. That could be the difference in making the playoffs or not, or entering the postseason with a first-round bye or as a 3 seed.
He should be valued even more by the Cowboys because they are currently revamping their secondary. The majority of their experienced defensive backs (Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, Xavier Woods, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix) are all playing on one-year contracts. Having Adams on the backend to help with the transition to younger players like Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson could prove to be invaluable.
Rumored Trade Compensation
Per NFL Network’s Michael Irvin, the New York Jets are seeking a first and third-round draft pick in exchange for their All-Pro Safety Jamal Adams. Irvin is close with Adams, but how he would know the Jets asking price is beyond me. I highly doubt they came out and told him so he could announce it to the world, but let’s pretend it’s factual. For a player of Adams’ caliber, that’s a bargain.
The Dallas Cowboys were rumored to be willing to part with a first-round draft pick and Cornerback Anthony Brown last year prior to the 2019 NFL trade deadline, so parting with an additional third-round pick definitely seems plausible. In fact, taking into consideration the Cowboys projected 2021 compensatory picks, they could have an additional third-rounder according to overthecap.com.
Overthecap.com projects the Dallas Cowboys receiving a total of four 2021 compensatory draft picks: a 3rd for Byron Jones, a 4th for Robert Quinn, a 5th for Randall Cobb, and a 7th for Jeff Heath. Knowing they had those additional picks in their back pocket helped land them Center Tyler Biadasz in the 2020 NFL Draft, who they traded up for. That extra draft equity could come in handy again to acquire Jamal Adams via trade.
Sending their 2021 first-round draft pick as well as one of their two third-rounders to acquire a talent like Adams’ is something the Dallas Cowboys could absolutely consider doing. But, we all know bringing Adams aboard is more than just the draft capital it would take to acquire him. There’s also the money it would take to sign him to a long-term contract extension to consider.
Jamal Adams’ Contract Demands?
Jamal Adams hasn’t been shy about wanting to become the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Eddie Jackson currently holds that honor after the Chicago Bears signed him to a five-year, $58.4 million contract extension back in January 2020. That equates to about $14.6 million per season which is probably the baseline for what Adams is seeking. His annual salary could end up being northward of $15 million a year.
That’s a steep price tag to pay for a safety considering how devalued the position has become as of late, but one the Dallas Cowboys or New York Jets will have to pay if they want to keep Jamal around. That could be a tough pill to swallow, especially for the Cowboys. They are still trying to work out a long-term extension with their QB, Dak Prescott. Signing Dak and moving around money if needed to acquire Adams is absolutely doable, however, the uncertainty of the 2021 salary-cap has to be taken into consideration as well.
Due to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, it’s unknown how much revenue the NFL will be able to generate for the 2020 season. If fans are unable to attend games that will without a doubt negatively impact revenue, meaning teams will have less to spend next offseason. That kind of unknown could put a damper on giving into Adams’ demands right away. They could however convince him they will take care of him in time, much like the Los Angeles Rams are doing with CB Jalen Ramsey after acquiring him via trade last year.
Hometown Discount for the Cowboys?
As we already talked about, a contract extension for Jamal Adams is expected to be quite pricey. It’s no secret he’d love to play for the Dallas Cowboys, but would you be willing to get the Cowboys a hometown discount in order to do so? According to Mike Fisher, Adams could definitely be open to the idea.
“There are those close to the situation, from a variety of angles, who whisper that Adams, a DFW native who continues to spend time here in the offseason and talks openly about his Cowboys love, might allow a financial compromise should the Jets grant him what at least part of him surely wants:
A trade to the Dallas Cowboys”.
This is purely speculation on my part, but I highly doubt Adams would offer a discount to any other team around the league. To stay in New York, the Jets are going to have to make him the highest-paid safety in the league. A chance to return home – he attended Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas less than 10 miles from The Star – in order to play in front of friends and family could sway him to accept less money.
A “hometown discount” could definitely be something to keep an eye on if/when the Cowboys and Jets open up trade discussions. It could very well be what earns him a ticket back home to play for the team he grew up watching.
