Jamal Adams has said he wants out. Le’Veon Bell spoke for his teammate, clarifying the safety would rather stay with the Jets on a long-term deal.
Therein lies the problem: The Jets don’t want to pay Adams now, and Adams doesn’t want to wait.
Bell said he had a “great talk” with his teammate on Thursday.
“I think he wants to be [with the Jets]; I just think he wants to get paid,” Bell said during an interview with Hot 97 in New York on Friday, via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “I think he’s in the same situation I was three years ago. He’s a young player. He’s been at the top of the game, playing at a high level and feels like, ‘Dang, I just want to get compensated.’”
Adams has two years remaining on his rookie deal, scheduled to make $3.6 million this season. He seeks to become the highest-paid safety in the league with a contract that averages more than $15 million per season.
Bell understands, having missed the 2018 season in a contract dispute with the Steelers.
“No. Hell, no. You deserve every dollar you’re asking for,” Bell said when asked if he opposes Adams’ hard-line stance. “Everything he asks for, he deserves it.”
Adams has listed seven preferred destinations for a trade, with his hometown Cowboys at the top of the list.
The Jets have said they want to make Adams a “Jet for life” and expect him to be on their 2020 roster. But the league’s financial landscape is complicated by COVID-19, and thus the Jets appear in no hurry to complete a deal.
“Me, personally, I hope he doesn’t get traded,” Bell said. “But I don’t think he’ll get traded. I do think he’ll be playing with the Jets. That’s just me, personally, because I don’t think he’s going to get traded. Honestly, why would you trade him? I wouldn’t trade him.”