Saturday’s NFL: Jets trade disgruntled safety Jamal Adams to Seahawks

New York —  Jamal Adams’ wish was finally granted: He’s leaving New York in a stunning trade.

The Jets dealt the disgruntled star safety to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, splitting with a gifted player whose relationship with the franchise quickly deteriorated because of a contract dispute.

The Jets received a massive haul in the deal Saturday, sending a 2022 fourth-round draft pick along with Adams to the Seahawks for a 2021 first-rounder, a 2022 first-rounder, a 2021 third-rounder and safety Bradley McDougald – pending physicals.

Both teams confirmed the trade details, and the Seahawks welcomed Adams to the team in a Twitter post.

“Let’s get it!!!” Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson tweeted.

The deal ended a contentious several months for Adams and the Jets, a situation that increasingly appeared headed for a divorce when the two-time Pro Bowl selection criticized ownership early in the week and then took shots at coach Adam Gase and general manager Joe Douglas in an interview with the Daily News published Friday.

“To NY & especially the Jets fans, I love you & will always love you.” Adams wrote in a Twitter post. “You all will hold a special place in my heart forever. When I came into the league, you embraced me & watched me grow! We went through it all together. Thank you for the Luv & support these 3 years. #Prez Out.”

The 24-year-old former LSU star was drafted sixth overall by the Jets in 2017. He quickly established himself as a fan favorite and one of the best players at his position, being selected for the last two Pro Bowls and making the All-Pro squad last year.

But Adams’ relationship with the franchise began to take a turn last October.

The safety was angered when general manager Joe Douglas fielded phone calls from teams inquiring about Adams’ availability at the trade deadline. Douglas made it clear the cost for Adams would be exorbitant, a sign the Jets had no interest in dealing him. But Adams felt the team shouldn’t have even listened to other teams’ offers.

Adams went a week without speaking to Douglas or coach Adam Gase before smoothing things after talking with CEO and chairman Christopher Johnson.

Adams was seeking an extension from the Jets, who didn’t budge since they had control over his contract through 2021 and could have also potentially placed the franchise tag on him in 2022. Douglas and Johnson said they hoped to make Adams a Jet for life, but Adams wanted his contract situation resolved this year.

When it appeared that wouldn’t happen, Adams made it clear he wanted out. He asked the team for a trade last month, and listed several teams to which he’d prefer to be dealt – including Seattle. Adams then used social media to criticize the team and capped things with the Daily News interview in which he said he didn’t feel Gase was “the right leader for this organization to reach the Promised Land” and saying Douglas wasn’t being straight with him or his agents.

A day later, Adams was headed out of town – after Douglas received an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Mahomes on board with return

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was on every call involving the NFL Players Association and took a significant role in putting in place the return-to-play protocols for training camp.

So while he acknowledges “some risk” in returning to the team facility on Saturday, when Mahomes joined rookies and select veterans for the start of his camp, he also felt comfortable in knowing the environment would be as safe as possible.

“I think the NFLPA did a good job getting all the players on the call and being prepared to be in the building and everything that entailed,” said Mahomes, who like the rest of NFL players did the entire offseason remotely. “They’re really taking this thing seriously. They’re taking social distancing and wearing a mask seriously, so we’re not hurting each other or hurting the people out in the community with us being here.”

The Chiefs and Texans, who meet in NFL’s regular-season opener, were given the go-ahead to allow rookies to report to training camp last Monday. But the week mostly involved COVID-19 testing for the rookies, and the veterans will likewise go through a similar period of testing before they begin more typical meetings and workouts.

That slow ramp-up is the first part of an acclimation period unique to this season. The players’ board of representatives voted 29-3 on Friday to adopt several changes to the collective bargaining agreement that provided for new training camp and roster rules, economics and the protocols for operating amid the coronavirus pandemic. The acclimation period takes the place of four preseason games and prohibits padded practices until the middle of August.

“I thought the executive committee did a great job of getting protection for the guys that are high risk, protection for the guys that voluntarily opted out and protection for the guys on the field,” said Mahomes, who recently signed a record 10-year extension with the Chiefs after leading them to their first Super Bowl in 50 years last season.

The Super Bowl MVP took over the player representative role on the Chiefs from longtime punter Dustin Colquitt, who was let go in the offseason. But Mahomes said that Colquitt has still been providing him guidance during negotiations.

“I thought the calls went well. There were a ton of questions. They were long but they were worth it,” Mahomes said. “I thought they really pushed and got the things that made us comfortable to approve the proposal that was laid out.”

Raiders sign draft class

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed their entire seven-pick draft class. The rookies all took tests for COVID-19 earlier in the week and then officially signed their deals.

The Raiders had seven picks in the draft in April led by first-round receiver Henry Ruggs III and cornerback Damon Arnette.

Ruggs was picked 12th overall and is being counted on to add a dynamic playmaker to an offense that ranked 24th in the league in scoring last season.

Arnette was picked 19th and will be in competition with free-agent addition Prince Amukamara for a starting cornerback spot.

Cook's arrival expected  

The Minnesota Vikings are expecting running back Dalvin Cook to report on time for training camp, coach Mike Zimmer said.

Cook has begun the final year of his rookie contract. The 2019 Pro Bowl pick took a break from the virtual offseason program last month, seeking a new deal, but Zimmer said on a video conference call to discuss his contract extension that Cook told him he’d be present in Minnesota next week. Veterans are scheduled to arrive on Tuesday for coronavirus testing.

Cook, a second-round draft pick in 2017, would delay his eligibility for unrestricted free agency by a year if he were to hold out from training camp based on a provision in the new collective bargaining agreement. Cook will make a base salary of slightly more than $1.3 million this season. He had 1,135 rushing yards and 519 receiving yards in 14 games last year.