Tag: Bradley McDougald

Jamal Adams not pleased with early flight time booked to Seattle

New Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams was irritated by the team sending him on an early morning flight from New York to the Emerald City.

Seattle Seahawks fans are thrilled about their team trading for stud safety Jamal Adams, but the relationship between Adams and his new club may have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start.

The Seahawks booked Adams on a 7:00 a.m. flight to Seattle set for Monday morning and the latter voiced his displeasure about the early time on his Twitter account . . . but promptly deleted said tweet.

“I love you guys already @Seahawks but damn y’all didn’t have to put the kid on a 7am flight… Damn lol,” Jamal Adams tweeted, according to the New York Post.

Adams is expected to anchor the secondary with fellow safety and trade acquisition Quandre Diggs. The price of two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and safety Bradley McDougald may be hefty, but time will tell if Adams is worth it.

This little gripe is unlikely to have any long-term repercussions as Adams stated in the tweet that he already loves the Seahawks. As the 2020 NFL season draws closer, it won’t be long before fans will get to see Adams on the field in blue and green.

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Report: Jamal Adams won’t ask Seahawks for extension, will play on rookie contract

Jamal Adams wanted a new contract from the Jets this offseason, but doesn’t need one from the Seahawks, per multiple reports.

When Jamal Adams played for the Jets, he wanted a contract extension before the 2020 season. Now that he’s been traded to the Seahawks, though, Adams doesn’t seem too concerned with getting that long-term deal just yet.

Before the Jets and Seahawks agreed to send Adams and a fourth-round pick to Seattle for two first-round picks, a third-round pick and safety Bradley McDougald, Adams agreed he’d play this upcoming season for the Seahawks on his rookie contract, according to NFL Network’s Tom Peliserro.

Adams has two years left on his rookie contract after the Jets picked up his fifth-year option. He’s scheduled to make $3.59 million in 2020 and $9.86 million in 2021. It has been reported that Adams wanted to be paid like a top defensive player in the NFL and at least the top safety, meaning he’d command an annual salary between $15.6 million and $20 million. The Jets were unwilling to give in to Adams’ contract demands this offseason, though general manager Joe Douglas did say he wanted to make Adams “a Jet for life.”

Adams didn’t want to wait, though, and requested a trade in June. He listed eight teams – including the Seahawks – he preferred to be traded to. It was reported then that he wouldn’t necessarily ask for an extension immediately if traded to one of those teams.

Well, Adams got his wish and now that report appears true.

On its surface, it’s a damning indictment of Adams’ feelings toward the Jets organization. He spent the offseason berating the organization that drafted him because they wouldn’t pay him and went so far as to publically rip Douglas, Adam Gase and owner Woody Johnson in a three-day period this past week. But now that he isn’t in New York, he’s suddenly okay with waiting for an extension.

So either Adams felt enough money could quell his displeasure with playing for the Jets, or he never wanted to play for New York in the first place and used the failed contract negotiations as a leverage tool to be traded.

Either way, he’s no longer the Jets’ problem anymore.

Jets’ 53-man roster prediction 2.0: Jamal Adams trade shakes things up ahead of camp

Jets Wire takes a crack at projecting New York’s 53-man roster for the 2020 season following the Jamal Adams trade.

The composition of the Jets’ 53-man roster just got a whole lot different now that Jamal Adams is no longer with the organization.

New York sent Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for two first-round draft picks, a 2021 third-round pick and safety Bradley McDougald on Saturday. Adams’ departure had been in the works for a while, but there was still a chance he started the 2020 season with the Jets. Now, he will play his football on the West Coast while New York welcomes a new safety into the mix.

The Adams trade shakes up the dynamic of the Jets’ secondary and has Jets Wire’s latest roster prediction looking a bit different than the one that came out following the draft. With that being said, let’s get into Jets Wire’s latest crack at projecting New York’s 53-man roster with training camp getting started.

A reminder: italics signify new arrivals and/or changes from the previous prediction. You can click on previous predictions below as the summer progresses.

Predictions 1.0 – Post-NFL Draft |

Quarterback (3)

Starter: Sam Darnold

Backups: David Fales, James Morgan

Cut: Mike White

With Joe Flacco on the shelf for the start of 2020, the Jets are likely to carry three quarterbacks to begin the regular season.

Fales is likely to serve as New York’s No. 2 quarterback, as the plan is to allow Morgan to watch and learn from the sideline as a rookie. Unless he surpasses all expectations in training camp, expect Morgan to remain Gang Green’s third-string quarterback for the duration of the season. Once Flacco is healthy, Fales will be the likely odd man out.

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Jets salary cap update: Jamal Adams trade provides financial flexibility moving forward

Jets Wire takes a look at the Jets’ salary cap situation after the Jamal Adams trade.

The Jets are in good shape financially after dealing Jamal Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for two first-round picks, a 2021 third-round selection and safety Bradley McDougald on Saturday.

McDougald, who will slide into Adams’ spot at strong safety, brings a $4.1 million charge to the Jets’ salary cap, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. The 29-year-old is owed $3.6 million in non-guaranteed salary, plus $500,000 in weekly roster bonuses. However, his contract expires at season’s end, giving New York additional salary cap flexibility in 2021.

According to Over The Cap, the Jets currently have $158 million committed to the 2021 cap. That number will drop once Adams’ $9.9 million salary comes off the books, which is important because of an anticipated drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of revenue caused by the coronavirus could cause the league salary cap to drop as low as $175 million next year, which would crush a handful of teams next offseason.

The Jets are not one of those teams, though. In fact, they are in good shape financially moving forward. New York had $21 million in salary cap space after signing its draft picks and before dealing Adams. In an effort to save up for the 2021 free agency cycle, the Jets could elect to save that money and not spend it unless they find a player worth paying for on the open market between now and the beginning of the 2020 season.

Carrying any unused salary cap space into 2021 might not be a sexy move, but general manager Joe Douglas is not one to actively pursue splashes — especially at the expense of New York’s financial flexibility. If Douglas and the Jets decide to save their unused cap space for 2021, that extra money will come in handy once free agency rolls around next March.

Jamal Adams won’t be the first star Bradley McDougald replaces

Bradley McDougald has replaced star safeties during his time with the Seattle Seahawks.

Bradley McDougald isn’t afraid of stepping into the shoes of a star safety.

McDougald will take Jamal Adams’ spot at free safety after the trade that sent McDougald to the Jets and Adams to the Seahawks. However, McDougald has prior experience replacing star safeties.

In Seattle, McDougald had to fill in for both Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas — two former members of Seattle’s Legion of Boom. That certainly wasn’t an easy task given that both players were Pro Bowlers multiple times with the Seahawks.

McDougald has put together a solid NFL career, though. He’s entering his eighth year in the league after going undrafted out of Kansas in 2013. McDougald started at free safety in two of his four years in Tampa Bay before joining the Seahawks in 2017 as a backup.

In 2018, McDougald became the full-time starting strong safety and performed well. He had 76 total tackles, nine pass defenses, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in his first full year as a starter. McDougald followed it up with 68 total tackles, six pass defenses, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery last season. Overall, McDougald has 10 career interceptions.

While there is an obvious drop-off in talent between McDougald and Adams, the former is a dependable player who won’t be phased taking over for a fan-favorite star. That should be good news for McDougald as he adjusts to the pressure of playing in New York and replacing a player of Adams’ caliber.

Jamal Adams wishes Bradley McDougald the best after trade to Jets

Jamal Adams wants nothing but the best for Bradley McDougald after he was traded to the Jets.

Jamal Adams had some kind words for his replacement after being dealt to the Seahawks on Saturday.

Bradley McDougald was sent over to the Jets in addition to a 2021 first-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick in exchange for Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick. After McDougald shared his excitement over becoming a Jet, Adams made sure to congratulate him and let him know that he’ll enjoy his time in New York.

McDougald should slide into Adams’ position right away. He’s a versatile safety who can play both strong and free. But with Marcus Maye locked in as the strong safety already, McDougald should see the majority of his snaps at free safety.

As for Adams, his time in New York ended bittersweetly. After becoming the face of the defense for the last three seasons, Adams wasn’t happy with the Jets anymore. On top of three straight losing seasons, Adams lost trust in Joe Douglas after contract talks crumbled this offseason. Adams claims Douglas never even sent him an offer. He also didn’t like playing for Adam Gase, who he said is not the right leader for the organization.

Both the Jets and Adams appear to be happy with the end result, though. The Jets got a major haul and a serviceable player in the trade with Seattle and Adams gets to play for a winning organization.

2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Safety

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s safety room with training camp and the 2020 season approaching.

With the NFLPA player reps officially approving the NFL’s proposal and training camp just a short ways away, it’s time to take a closer look at the makeup of the Jets’ roster entering the 2020 season.

After trading away Jamal Adams in a blockbuster deal to Seattle on Saturday, the Jets are left with a trio of safeties who can all contribute immediately. Marcus Maye is coming off one of the best seasons of his career after an injury-plagued 2018 left him with just six games. The newly acquired Bradley McDougald was a leader in Seattle’s secondary, making his mark as a sure tackler and box safety for the Seahawks. As for Ashtyn Davis, the versatile chess piece figures to play himself into the equation.

As training camp and the beginning of the regular season inch closer, Jets Wire will provide a look at each of New York’s position groups and what could be in store for the unit in 2020. Let’s break down the safety room at One Jets Drive.

The Starters

With Adams’ departure, Maye is the team’s longest-tenured safety and figures to maintain his position as Gregg Williams’ centerfielder playing deep.

Maye finished his 2019 campaign with 65 combined tackles, a career-high seven passes defended, one interception and one tackle for a loss. Pro Football Focus graded Maye 17th among the 85 safeties who qualified. He ranked 18th in coverage.

The Jets’ fourth-year safety made his money as the team’s last line of defense. Maye was responsible for some big-time plays in the Jets’ wins over the Cowboys and Steelers. In the Jets’ Week 16 victory over Pittsburgh, Maye made a game-saving play in coverage, breaking up a game-winning touchdown catch from James Washington with less than a minute remaining.

McDougald, meanwhile, figure to replace Adams. He is another player, who Williams can move all around the field, but he figures to be New York’s best complement to Maye.

Over the past two seasons, McDougald has quietly been one of the best man-coverage safeties in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, since 2018, McDougald’s 85.4 man coverage grade ranks fourth among safeties who have played at least 100 snaps of man coverage. Additionally, per PFF, McDougald’s 62.7 passer rating allowed in man coverage ranks fifth among safeties who have been targeted at least 20 times.

Depth

Davis, the Jets’ third-round pick out of Cal, should see plenty of action this season as the Jets groom him to become an eventual starter.

Davis is a versatile speedster with great instincts. While Davis’ home may be as a true centerfielder, he certainly has the speed, range and physical capabilities to play wherever Gang Green needs him to be in 2020 and beyond. He’s the perfect piece of clay for Williams to mold.

Matthias Farley is currently New York’s backup at the strong safety position, but he’s primarily viewed as a special teams player. Among the other players competing for jobs in the secondary are Bennett Jackson and Anthony Cioffi, who are both likely bubble players.

Outlook

In both Maye and McDougald, New York should have two sure-fire tacklers who can be blankets in coverage, assisting a weak cornerback group. Adams is a huge loss, but New York isn’t downgrading too much when considering what McDougald can bring to the table from a coverage standpoint.

Maye, McDougald and Davis have dealt with injuries between their pro and collegiate careers, so it’s good to have three safeties who should all eventually be capable starters.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | MLB | OLB

4 things to know about new Jets S Bradley McDougald

Here are four things to know about new Jets S Bradley McDougald, who the Jets acquired on Saturday afternoon.

While Bradley McDougald wasn’t the main attraction in the Jamal Adams trade, he isn’t just a throwaway player in this deal. The Jets were able to acquire a starting-caliber safety — and an abundance of draft picks — in exchange for their own All-Pro at the position.

The 29-year-old McDougald has a reputation as a sound tackler and is one of the more underrated players at his position in coverage.

In his statement to the media addressing the Adams trade, Joe Douglas had a ringing endorsement for the Jets’ new safety. “Adding Bradley McDougald’s consistency and production to this year’s team was an important piece that gives us more experience on defense,” Douglas said.

McDougald bounced between Kansas City and Tampa Bay before finding a home in Seattle and becoming a team leader in the secondary. Now that he’s a member of the Jets, let’s get to know him a bit better. Here are four things to know about McDougald.

Versatility

(Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

While Bradley McDougald isn’t Jamal Adams, he is a versatile chess piece that Gregg Williams can use to his advantage.

In Seattle, McDougald wasn’t kept in a box. Seahawks defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. gave McDougald the freedom to move around the field. He lined up on the defensive line as a free blitzer, in the box as a safety, as a slot corner, an outside corner and a free safety.

Williams will have endless possibilities with McDougald. While McDougald has seen the majority of success come as an in the box safety, he still has plenty of opportunities to be moved around the field and show his worth elsewhere.

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Instant Analysis: Jets, Joe Douglas get massive haul for disgruntled Jamal Adams

Jets Wire takes a look at the Jamal Adams trade, analyzing what Joe Douglas was able to acquire for the disgruntled All-Pro safety.

While Jamal Adams was doing everything he possibly could to get traded, Joe Douglas was working the back channels to get a haul for his disgruntled All-Pro safety.

And that he did.

In a deal that sends Adams and a fourth-round pick in 2022 to the Seattle Seahawks, the Jets netted a fellow safety in Bradley McDougald, a first-round pick in 2021, a third-round pick in 2021 and a first-round pick in 2022.

As The Athletic’s Connor Hughes noted, the number of first-round picks the Jets acquired for Adams was more than the number of on-field picks Adams got for the Jets over three seasons in New York.

Douglas was able to acquire two first-round picks, a third-round pick and a starting-caliber player for Adams, who clearly wanted out. While Seattle was able to obtain one of the best players at his position, it will sooner or later have to pay an even steeper price when it comes to a contract extension.

Now, Douglas has the capital to invest in premium positions to continue to build Gang Green’s roster from the ground up, finding more help for Sam Darnold in the process. The Jets will likely have five picks in the top 100 selections of the 2021 draft. That alone is a massive addition for New York and, while the results won’t be seen immediately, Douglas has an opportunity to change the course of the franchise with this trade.

While this deal obviously benefits Douglas’ long-term plan, the Jets defense takes a massive blow for the 2020 season. Still, Gregg Williams will now be able to rotate the trio of McDougald, Marcus Maye and Ashtyn Davis, playing each safety to their relative strengths.

Last season, McDougald started 14 games, recording 70 tackles, six passes defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble. While McDougald is not going to be the game-changing playmaker that Adams is, he is still a respectable box safety who can start immediately for Gang Green. Detroit Lions All-Pro cornerback Chris Harris Jr. gave McDougald a ringing endorsement, tweeting “don’t get it twisted, Brad a dog too.”

At the end of the day, this type of package is exactly why Douglas has kept his stance that New York should be willing to listen to offers on Adams. Never did anyone think that the Jets general manager would be able to pull off a package of this magnitude, especially considering the circumstances surrounding Adams and his positon’s value.

Douglas was able to stay patient and picked up the phone when Seattle offered a package eerily similar to what Khalil Mack and Jalen Ramsey were traded away for.

On the other hand, the Seahawks are going all-in on the 2020 season, banking on Adams being a safety who can change the dynamic of the game and be a massive upgrade to their secondary. At the same time, Douglas and the Jets are making a statement with this trade. Even though Adams was the face of the franchise and the team’s most valuable asset, New York never backed down from the possibility of trading him.

Once a suitable offer arrived at One Jets Drive, Douglas pounced on it.

Done Deal: Jets trade All-Pro S Jamal Adams to Seahawks

The Jets have traded their disgruntled star safety.

The Jamal Adams saga has come to an end.

After months of publically criticizing the organization that drafted him sixth overall in 2017, the safety got his wish on Saturday. The Jets are trading Adams, along with a fourth-round pick in 2022, to the Seahawks.

The deal, first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, nets the Jets fellow safety Bradley McDougald, a first-round pick in 2021, a third-round pick in 2021 and a first-round pick in 2022. McDougald, a starter the last few years, can play both safety positions, is an asset in the box and has five interceptions over the last two seasons.

Seattle, meanwhile, gets a 24-year-old All-Pro safety in Adams who can impact every facet of its defense. The Seahawks officially announced Adams’ arrival.

Then there’s Adams, who is likely getting everything he’s asked for. After demanding the Jets trade him to one of eight contenders — the Seahawks were among them — Adams can check that box off his list. Next up is a contract extension, which is likely to come sooner rather than later even though Adams still has two seasons left on his rookie deal. After seeing how things played out in New York, the Seahawks should know a timely extension is part of the package.

The Jets’ decision not to give Adams a new contract this offseason is more or less what led to his departure. GM Joe Douglas had said that he wanted to make Adams “a Jet for life,” but Adams claimed a contract offer was never made. Adams, despite having just three years in the league, wanted a new deal now. The Jets, however, didn’t have much incentive to do so. They didn’t have much reason to trade Adams either — until his public bashing of the negotiations and the organization’s top decision-makers became too loud to ignore.

Adams has been vocal about his frustrations on social media for months. Recently, he was quoted in a New York Daily News story blasting Douglas and head coach Adams Gase. Adams also criticized Woody Johnson this offseason after allegations of racist and sexist remarks were levied at the owner.

The erosion of Adams’ relationship with the Jets dates back to the 2019 trade deadline. Though he had no reported interest in dealing Adams, Douglas listened to offers for the defensive back. Douglas picking up the phone didn’t sit well with Adams, who didn’t speak to the GM or Gase for weeks before all involved remedied the situation enough to get through the remainder of the season. From there, it looked like it was still possible for Adams and the Jets to agree to a deal that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid safety.

Instead, the relationship eroded beyond repair. Now Adams is heading to Seattle, where he’s set to become a very rich man.