The Dallas Cowboys have been linked to All-Pro safeties each of the last three offseasons dating back to their flirtation with the Seattle Seahawks and Earl Thomas in the 2018 offseason. The Cowboys were linked to the former Legion of Boom member until Thomas signed a deal with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.
Even as the Cowboys have waded through two free agency periods and two drafts since Earl Thomas became a free agent last offseason, they've consistently avoided making a splash for an elite safety. This offseason they added Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to take over for the departing Jeff Heath, but that still hasn't stopped the trade rumors from swirling.
Well, the Jamal Adams trade saga was given new life today when Rich Cimini, who covers the New York Jets for ESPN, reported that the All-Pro safety has requested a trade from the Jets. Adams has consistently expressed his desire to stay in New York but has been seeking a long-term extension for the last year, to no avail.
The Jets-Jamal Adams situation continues to deteriorate. Adams informed the team he wants to be traded, a source tells ESPN. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) June 18, 2020
As one of the top safeties in the NFL, Adams will likely get paid a market-setting contract when his time comes. The Dallas Cowboys showed interest in Adams before the 2019 trade deadline, but the two sides couldn't agree. The Jets asked for a ludicrous amount in return for the All-Pro safety, and negotiations stalled.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Jamal Adams has named seven teams that he would be interested in being traded to. As a Dallas native, Adams has always expressed an interest in playing for his hometown team, the Dallas Cowboys, however, he now has a list of places he would like to play.
Here are the seven teams to which Jets' Pro-Bowl safety Jamal Adams would welcome a trade, per source:
🏈Ravens
🏈Cowboys
🏈Texans
🏈Chiefs
🏈Eagles
🏈49ers
🏈Seahawks— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 18, 2020
While it's exciting that the Dallas Cowboys are on his list of teams that he'd like to be traded to, the difficulty now is that the Cowboys or any other organization interested in trading for Adams would likely have to enter a bidding war for his services.
In a twist, a source has told Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News that Adams would be willing to play on the final year of his contract without an extension.
A source also says there are certain teams Jamal Adams is willing to be traded to where he won't request a contract extension, at least right away.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) June 18, 2020
That's a new development as the assumption has been that any team that traded for Adams would have to work out a long-term contract extension as well. This opens up a whole new list of possibilities for the Dallas Cowboys, but also brings teams that don't have a ton of cap room into the mix as well.
The Dallas Cowboys are a team that will be in contention for the playoffs in 2020 and could use another playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. What Adams does around the line of scrimmage is about as good as it gets in the NFL. He led the Jets with six sacks in 2020, as a safety. His play speaks for itself.
The question, as it always does with these things, is the price point. What would the New York Jets need to part ways with a player they drafted that has been good for them? Could the Dallas Cowboys get a deal done with simply a first-rounder? Or, would they need to include another pick or a package of players to get it done.
Get ready for a roller coaster ride of a summer on the Jamal Adams front. Until Adams gets what he wants, these rumors are going to continue to fly through the NFL world. The Dallas Cowboys are one of the teams in the NFC that could make a significant run for a Super Bowl in 2020, and Jamal Adams is a player that can help them get there. With as hit or miss as the NFL Draft can be and if the Dallas Cowboys are as good as we think they'll be, trading a first-round pick for an All-Pro talent like Adams is a no-brainer.
Trading for Jamal Adams is a move the Dallas Cowboys should make. It makes them better on defense and provides another leader in the locker room. His ability to rush the passer would fit in well with Mike Nolan's pressure heavy scheme on defense. While positional value matters and teams need to be smart about how they allocate resources, Jamal Adams is just a great football player.
The Dallas Cowboys could always use another great football player simply because you can never have enough great players.
