Jamal Adams left the New York Jets in a huff. Adam Gase, Sam Darnold, and Le’Veon Bell had some things to say about the nasty breakup.
Jamal Adams is happy to be leaving the Big Apple. Despite acting hurt by general manager Joe Douglas picking up the phone when the Dallas Cowboys called at the trade deadline last season, it turns out he was reportedly texting Cowboys players and asking them to trade for him. He wanted out from the New York Jets for a long time and he finally got his wish.
In return for the All-Pro safety, the Jets received an absolute haul. Two first-rounders, a third, and Bradley McDougald are coming to New York in return for Adams and a fourth-round pick.
But after such a public breakup, there was bound to be some fallout. The first blow came from Le’Veon Bell, who accused Adams of lying to him this past offseason.
ppl do all the hootin & hollerin to get you brought in, just to leave…lol like people weird yooo, the internet got these dudes doin whatever for attention, even when they tell you sh*t they don’t believe themselves
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 25, 2020
Adams fired back with the old “See u in Week 14!” comeback, but Bell wasn’t done.
“noted” what?! lol that you LIED? PLEASEE TRUST that it IS “noted” then..& if I’m supposed to take “see you in week 14” as a threat…I don’t! but it’s still allll love and like I told you ON THE PHONE I want the best for you..if this is the best for you, I want it for you bro ?? https://t.co/yyNGH5XAb3
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) July 26, 2020
A few days later, Bell appeared on a podcast to clarify some of his Twitter comments about Adams. The level-headed Bell explained that he doesn’t hold a grudge against Adams or anything like that, but he’s comfortable speaking his mind and telling the truth. Adams, on the other hand, is a guy who likes to say one thing in private but sings a different tune in public.
Insight into Le'Veon Bell's thoughts about his Jamal Adams tweet.
General quote: "When they talk, a lot of times, they bite off more than they can chew." #Jets
?Dash Radio: https://t.co/o02tBMddMz pic.twitter.com/EtNgH0IJ9Q
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) July 28, 2020
Bell doesn’t go all the way in on the “trash talk” here, but it’s clear that he feels some type of way about how things went down. It sounds like Adams is the type of guy who talks a big game about being a leader, but talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words.
Joe Douglas Denies Jamal’s Claim
There were two main sticking points for Adams in his displeasure with the organization. The first was the trade deadline drama which was reportedly orchestrated by Adams himself. The second was the lack of an extension offer from the Jets this season. Douglas is denying what Adams is saying about the offseason negotiations.
“I never promised an offer to Jamal (Adams) or his agent. I was never dishonest or ambiguous with their camp,” Douglas said via Robby Sabo of Jets X Factor.
At this point, it’s entirely a “he said, he said” situation, but it’s hard to take Adams at his word considering his track record. However, who you believe is up to you.
Adam Gase Wants To Move On
“We wish him nothing but the best,” head coach Adam Gase said via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. “For me, personally, he’s an incredible talent that I feel lucky enough to be around for that year. Playing against him for two years, I know he was always a tough guy to go against. … Our organization, we want nothing but the best for him. Hopefully, he has great success in Seattle.”
Gase has a history of rubbing players the wrong way and his demise with the Miami Dolphins can be directly linked to this foible. Adams wasn’t kind to Gase on his way out. However, as we know with Adams, it’s hard to take anything he says at face value.
One specific criticism from Adams leveled at Gase was that the head coach would disappear in the locker room when the team was struggling. The head coach addressed that accusation by flipping it back onto the All-Pro safety.
“As far as the alleged addressing at halftime, we had two times in the second half of the season that we were down,” Gase said. “One was the Cincinnati game, I addressed the team at halftime. One was the Baltimore game, I addressed the team at halftime. One game he was in the training room against Cincinnati, the other one he wasn’t playing. It’s hard for me to answer a question like that when I know the correct answer.”
Again, this is another “he said, he said” situation. It’s up to you to decide who you believe.
Sam Darnold Is The Face Of The Franchise
Even with Adams on the Jets, Sam Darnold was going to be the face of the franchise sooner or later. While losing Adams will hurt the defense, the addition of picks gives the Jets ample capital to stock the offense with weapons.
"I'm not gonna worry about things I can't control," Sam Darnold on the Jamal Adams situation. #Jets
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) July 28, 2020
"First of all, I really loved playing with Jamal (Adam). I can't speak for Jamal's experiences or the comments that he made. What I can say is, I'm really excited to be a part of this organization," Sam Darnold on the Jamal Adams situation. #Jets
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) July 28, 2020
Darnold isn’t one to rock the boat and he doesn’t do so here, but he did defend his head coach.
“He’s the right leader for this team, for sure,” Darnold said via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “For me, personally, he’s helped me grow a ton as a quarterback in learning this offense.”
Truth be told, we don’t know whether or not the Jets are going to be better off after this deal. Adams is a legitimate Hall of Fame talent and he has the ability to truly dominate a game. There aren’t many safeties in NFL history who can do what he does.
With that said, acquiring two first-round picks, a third-rounder, and an above-average starting safety is an absolute haul. Going forward, the Jets have two first-rounders in each of the next two drafts. That’s a recipe for success in building a sustainable NFL contender.
They have the franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams should be able to field a solid defense, and they have the draft capital needed to make more big moves.
