2020 offseason

Adams revealed at the NFL Combine in March that he and the Jets were negotiating a long-term contract extension. Though he didn’t give details, Adams appeared elated for some security with the team that drafted him. Despite Douglas claiming he wanted to make Adams a “Jet for life,” a deal didn’t surface and Adams quickly became frustrated with the front office. This prompted Adams to skip all of the Jets’ voluntary virtual offseason programs until he was extended.

The Jets picked up Adams’ fifth-year option on his rookie deal, which gave New York control over Adams’ contract through at least the 2021 season. Adams, up to this point, had almost zero leverage in negotiations considering the precedent of first-round picks not being extended before their fourth year in the league, but Adams still wanted to be the highest-paid safety and one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.

A series of social media comments from Adams followed, painting a poor picture of how Douglas and the Jets managed Adams’ contract negotiations. Adams claimed the Jets called him “selfish” for wanting a new contract and never actually sent him a real proposal.

Everything came to a head on June 18, 2020, when he requested a trade.