Jamal Adams, New York Jets

Adams is another former LSU player who earned a lot of goodwill from locals, and who has his own corner of the Saints fandom calling for him to come home. It might make sense with Marcus Williams headed for a contract year. But the cost alone in prying Adams away from New York is prohibitive, with Jets general manager Joe Douglas reportedly wanting a package of several draft picks in exchange for his talented safety. That’s not something the Saints can afford to do.

But let’s look at it from a football angle. Adams is a versatile defender who lined up all over Gregg Williams’ defense, which shares a lot of DNA with the scheme Dennis Allen runs in New Orleans. But he’s a better fit as the box safety role filled by Vonn Bell last year, which either Malcolm Jenkins or C.J. Gardner-Johnson will take over in 2020.

The Saints might be able to force Adams into the single-high role often played by Williams, but it would expose more of his weaknesses. Adams has missed more tackles over the last two years (16) than Williams (13) while intercepting four fewer passes. That immediate swap would be a downgrade for New Orleans, though they might find success if Adams were deployed differently than Williams has been.

The verdict: Saints should stay away from Adams

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