On the surface, safety Bradley McDougald looked like a throw-in for the blockbuster Jamal Adams trade. The Seahawks sent him, along with two first-round picks and a third-round pick, to the Jets for Adams and fourth-rounder.
But in reality, McDougald is the only immediate return the Jets will see on their decision to jettison Adams – and he should be an important piece of the Jets’ new defense in 2020. McDougald talked to the media Friday about the trade, his role on the Jets, and his recruitment of free agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
Here are the biggest takeaways from his introduction to the New York media.
On being traded to the Jets
The trade that sent McDougald to the Jets came as a surprise for the safety. McDougald said he wasn’t initially excited to be traded – because he felt like the Seahawks were giving up on him, not because he was sent to the Jets – but soon felt better about the move.
“At first, I was kind of struck,” he said. “I felt abandoned like they just kicked me out – like they didn’t care about me or value me there. But then I started to think about how much of a blessing this was and another opportunity. You know, it’s actually a better space for me to be in.”
McDougald started thinking about the positives associated with the move to New York and playing on the Jets.
“I’m not the first guy to ever get traded and I’m not going to be the last guy to get traded to a team,” McDougald said. “So I had no time to feel sorry for myself or focus on anything negative other than just coming into a new program, earning my respect from the players and the coaches, and go out there and being the best me in New York.”