Every NFL general manager has something that defines their tenure with a team. For John Idzik, it was his inability to draft. For Mike Maccagnan, it was his frequent misses in free agency… and his inability to draft.
(Okay, for some GMs, it’s more than one thing.)
For Joe Douglas, his time as Jets general manager could very well be defined by his handling of the Jamal Adams saga.
After months of publicly campaigning for a contract extension, Adams reached his breaking point last week and requested a trade out of New York. Extending Adams was always in Douglas’ plans, but the All-Pro safety wanted his extension before the end of this offseason. Douglas and the Jets wanted to wait a little while longer since he is under team control until at least 2021.
With the two sides failing to come to terms on a deal and Adams officially wanting out, Douglas now finds himself in the middle of a stalemate that has only two outcomes: Adams being extended or Adams being traded.
Regardless of the end result, how Douglas approaches and handles Adams from here on out will play a major part in how he is viewed as a general manager moving forward.
Douglas has two cards he can play. He can stick to his guns and hang onto Adams in the hopes of eventually extending him. That approach worked well in free agency, as Douglas resorted to hardball in order to land some quality players at bargain rates. Even if he winds up trading him, Douglas does not have to break his back to give Adams a trade to one of his preferred destinations, not does he have to trade him right away. Douglas can drive a hard bargain on the trade market as well.
Douglas’ other option is waving the white flag and shipping Adams to another team without much of a fight just to get the drama over with. This would likely entail the Jets’ receiving a less than desirable return for arguably the best safety in football.
Odds are Adams will be dealt at some point. Unless Douglas presents him with a record-breaking deal, it’s unlikely he signs another contract with the Jets. That means the return New York gets in exchange for the 24-year-old will be paramount in deciding whether or not Douglas handled the situation correctly.
If he pulls a Bill O’Brien and trades Adams for peanuts, Douglas will lose respect internally and externally. His reputation as a tough negotiator will go out the window. Agents and other front office executives will try to walk all over him in contract and trade negotiations. Adams’ contract demands and the return Douglas is likely seeking will serve as a deterrent for some teams, but New York cannot afford to accept a below-market value package.
If Douglas nets a return that is viewed at or above market value, he will be lauded for landing pieces he can use to get the Jets back to the postseason. He will maintain his reputation as a negotiator, which is crucial.
How Douglas handles the Adams situation is not going to win him any executive of the year awards. It’s not going to get him fired on the spot either. It will have a lasting impact on how he is perceived in league circles, though.
There is a reason why Idzik and Maccagnan no longer call the shots at One Jets Drive. They had their chances to succeed and failed miserably. It’s still early in Douglas’ tenure as New York’s general manager, but this is his chance to prove his worth.
If all goes well from here on out, Jets fans can rest assured knowing a competent GM is finally running the show. If not, Douglas could wind up being remembered with the same disdain as those he succeeded.