Why the NY Jets should be eternally grateful to Jamal Adams

In July 2020, NY Jets general manager Joe Douglas traded away safety Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks. Coming off a season where he earned first-team All-Pro honors, it was a controversial decision to many casual NFL fans.

However, Adams was expected to sign a big contract extension that the rebuilding Jets had no intention of paying. Douglas made the decision to trade Adams away, and the Seahawks offered a good package for him. Let's dive into the assets exchanged and which team truly came out on top.

1. Jamal Adams, S, Seattle Seahawks

Simply put, Adams has not lived up to expectations in Seattle. He's had serious problems with injuries and hasn't been great when on the field.

As the centerpiece of the trade, Seattle fans had high expectations of him. Those expectations haven't been met at all. Between his stints on IR and his beef with New York media, it's been a rocky ride for Adams in Seattle.

2. Coby Bryant, CB, Seattle Seawhawks

In addition to Adams, the Jets sent a fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft (No. 109) to Seattle. That pick was used to select Cincinnati cornerback Coby Bryant.

Bryant had a solid rookie season but got hurt in 2023. With Devon Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen holding down the corner spots in Seattle, Bryant is a useful depth piece.

3. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, NY Jets

Now we get into what the Jets received for Adams. Part of the trade package was two 2021 draft picks (23rd overall and 86th overall). Douglas traded both of these picks and their own 2021 third-round pick (No. 66) to the Minnesota Vikings to move up in the draft and select Alijah Vera-Tucker with the 14th pick.

Vera-Tucker was a highly-touted offensive lineman from USC who could play any position on the line. He instantly became the best offensive lineman on the team and earned All-Rookie honors in his first season after starting 16 games.

However, two trips to Denver in the past two seasons have been disastrous for AVT. He's suffered two season-ending injuries in those games and is now recovering from an Achilles tear. When healthy, he is the best offensive lineman on the Jets, but an Achilles is no joke to recover from, contrary to what the on-field GM says.

4. Garrett Wilson, WR, NY Jets

In addition to the 2021 first-round pick that became Vera-Tucker, the Seahawks traded a 2022 first-round pick to the Jets. That 10th pick became Garrett Wilson, a game-breaking wide receiver who has had the most horrific QB luck in the entire league.

Everyone talks about Josh Gordon's miracle 2013 season, when he led the NFL in receiving yards with a revolving door at QB. Wilson's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2022 was just as impressive.

He's a special talent. Not only should he be a team captain next season, but he's finally ready for a true breakout season. 178 receptions and 2,145 receiving yards in his first two seasons is a base. Time for him to explode.

5. Bradley McDougald, S, NY Jets

Since the trade occurred so late in the offseason, the Seahawks threw in a safety as a like-for-like replacement for Adams. McDougald didn't exactly light the league on fire for the Jets, but he was a solid contributor before picking up a season-ending shoulder injury in late October.

Before the 2021 season began, he signed with Tennessee. After getting released by the Titans, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him to their practice squad. He has been a free agent since the end of the 2021 season.

With all the pieces laid out, a clear winner has emerged. This trade is arguably Joe Douglas' masterpiece. Turning Adams into AVT, Garrett Wilson, and a solid safety (before the injury) is exactly why Douglas' trades are the foundation of his tenure as Jets GM.

I also live in Portland, and therefore hate everything related to the city of Seattle, so this trade carries a special meaning for me in particular. If you haven't been to Lumen Field, there is a large mural of Adams on the stadium's southwest side. Every time I am in the area, I make a special pilgrimage to that mural to loudly cackle at it.

Remember, Adams wanted to be a Jet for life. But when it became clear he wouldn't get the contract extension he was after, he immediately reversed on that stance. I don't really have a problem with that. As his Seattle tenure proves, players need to get that money while they can.

It was a business decision, and I don't harbor the same ill will towards him that some fans do (besides his ridiculous attacks on members of the Jets media, those are completely uncalled for). He was the player I wanted the Jets to take in the 2017 draft, and I'm very happy they did.

Without that selection, Garrett Wilson and Alijah Vera-Tucker would be playing somewhere else. Thank you, Jamal. You gave us three excellent years and gave us the pieces to possibly win a Super Bowl.