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Jamal Adams

Jets unable to make defensive star happy

The Jets made a really good pick three years ago, selecting safety Jamal Adams six picks into the draft. Adams was an immediate starter and has emerged as one of the league's best safeties. So it's perplexing that they can't find a way to make him happy.

His name was floated around the trade deadline last season; apparently he was almost dealt to Dallas. Now he's looking for a long-term deal, but nothing has come of it, leading to trade rumors being floated again. It's hard to imagine them moving him and getting a comparable player, because there aren't many of them.

Over his first three seasons in the league, Adams has racked up 273 tackles, which is 5th-most among defensive backs. But that's only part of what he's been doing. Over those same three seasons, using the play index tool at pro-football-reference.com, you can see that he's been the best playmaker at his position. No defensive back has more sacks (12), more quarterback hits (23) or more tackles for losses (28). This is a player the Jets can't find a way to work out a contract with?

DEFENSIVE BACK STATISTICS, 2017-2019
Player G Sk Solo Ast CombTFLQBh
Budda Baker463.524083323187
Landon Collins421.022394317177
Jordan Poyer475.020795302176
Antoine Bethea474.02286028888
Jamal Adams4612.0210632732823
Shawn Williams432.01957827396
Eric Reid425.020068268139
Vonn Bell457.0191702611213
Kevin Byard482.01847726188
Justin Simmons451.01867325962
Malcolm Jenkins484.5205492541712
Logan Ryan458.5177742511013
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix481.02074325032
Harrison Smith475.5193542472010
John Johnson380.01628324562
Tyrann Mathieu486.0203392421410
Eric Weddle482.01726723956
Devin McCourty481.01855223741
Kareem Jackson452.017259231133
Mark Barron415.017454228147
Adrian Amos452.018937226123
Tre Boston460.01755122634
Bradley McDougald470.51695422382
Reshad Jones341.516853221112
James Bradberry473.01754522043
Patrick Chung440.51615821955
Jeff Heath440.016752219112
Jahleel Addae481.515363216102
Jabrill Peppers401.014865213116
Micah Hyde470.01565621241
Jessie Bates320.01446721100
T.J. Carrie482.016842210104
Kyle Fuller480.01782820630
Kenny Vaccaro414.5140622021312
Brian Poole454.0150461961013
Byron Jones470.01504519562
Damarious Randall402.51553819393
Adrian Phillips380.01385519372
Darqueze Dennard382.01405019043
Desmond King476.5153361891412
Tavon Wilson414.014148189115
Adoree' Jackson430.01672118860
Marcus Williams461.01483918710
Mike Hilton476.5144421862218
Shaquill Griffin451.01503618671
Kendall Fuller421.01414518661
Eddie Jackson462.01473718481
Terrell Edmunds321.01265718335
D.J. Swearinger401.51354718223
Eli Apple410.01562618202

Table shows the top 50 defensive backs in tackles over the last three years. If you sorted by any other category, Adams would come out on top.

Presumably the Jets will work things out. If not, arguably the league's best safety is going to make another defense really good this season.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index