“I would love to be back with the Jets and, obviously, finish it the right way,” Adams said during an exchange with Jets fans on X, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “Man, that would be a dream come true, just to patch up that relationship and kind of make it right.
“[I would] just come in as a seasoned vet, give game to the young cats and help in any way, shape or form I can. I know I can still play football. I’m healthy and I know I can impact the game in a lot of ways. I just need that fair opportunity to come in and show what I can do.”
Adams spent his first three years with the Jets, establishing himself as one of the league’s top defensive backs over that span. The former No. 6 pick earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2018 and ’19, along with one spot on each of the first- and second- All-Pro teams along the way. A trade request sparked in part by Adams’ desire to become the league’s highest-paid safety led to a trade that sent him to the Seahawks. He noted, via Cimini, he has reached out to former Jets GM Joe Douglas to apologize for the way the saga unfolded.
That swap saw New York receive a pair of first-round picks and saw Adams land a $70M deal with the Seahawks. The LSU product recorded 9.5 sacks in 2020 en route to a third straight Pro Bowl nod. After that, however, Adams struggled with a decline in play in coverage and, later, injuries. He (along with Quandre Diggs) was released in a cost-shedding move last spring.
The Titans wound up adding Adams, but in late October, the team granted his request to be released and become an in-season free agent. That led to a practice squad arrangement with the Lions, allowing Adams to spend time with then-Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Glenn is now the Jets head coach, so a return to New York would double as a reunion between those two.
As the Lions dealt with a number of injuries on defense, Adams only made a pair of appearances and played just 20 defensive snaps. A regular role would not be expected if a Jets pact were to worked out to add him to a safety room including returnee Tony Adams, free-agent addition Andre Cisco and fourth-round rookie Malachi Moore. A move to linebacker has been floated in the past in Adams’ case, and such a transition would involve a spot behind Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams on the depth chart.
With over $23M in cap space, the Jets could certainly afford a low-cost flier on Adams. It will be interesting to see if the team’s new regime led by Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey reciprocates his interest in a contract.
