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What will the mindset be like if he returns?
That is the $64,000 question with Jamal Adams.
While he wants to be traded, and talks about himself on like he’s a former Jet on social media, he is still under contract for the next two years.
And while he desperately wants out, it’s highly unlikely, if he’s still a Jet when the season starts, that he’s going to sit out games, and forfeit the reported $3.5 million he’s scheduled to make this year. While that isn’t anywhere near what he wants to make this year, it’s still not chump change you want to flush down the toilet.
So if Adams is forced to play for the Jets this year, against his wishes, what kind of attitude is he going to display at work? Jets secondary coach Dennard Wilson was asked this question by Newsday’s Roger Rubin during a recent press briefing.
“From my perspective, I’ve coached his young man since he came into the National Football League, and the relationship I have with him, his preparation, he will be unfazed,” Wilson said.
Wilson continued: “Jamal loves football and when he gets on the grass is ready to play, he is going to do everything in his power to be at the best of his ability. So from my standpoint, being the guy who coached him since he’s been in the league, I don’t worry about it. When Jamal shows up, he will be fully prepared. He will do his job to the best of his ability.”
But if an athlete’s heart isn’t into playing for a certain team, don’t you think it has to impact them in some regard? Emotion is a big part of sports.
Also, if an athlete is angling for a big money contract, the last thing they want to happen is to get hurt which could jeopardize that big payday on the horizon. His dad suffered a serious hip injury during his career with the New York Giants, and never got a big second contract. That is always on Jamal’s mind.
Sometimes players make business decisions on the field, especially at a position like safety.
Adams is such a great competitor, it’s hard to imagine him making business decisions in a game, but it’s going be real interesting to see what the 2020 version of Jamal Adams looks like if he’s forced to play for the Jets under his current contract.
Will he suffer an injury that lingers – wink, wink – like Jalen Ramsey did last year to force his way out of Jacksonville. Remember, once Ramsey was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, he was once again healthy.
The lingering injury card was used by agent Neil Schwartz with Jets clients like Pete Kendall in 2007 and Chris Baker in 2018.
“The stare down between the Jets and their disgruntled guard Pete Kendall continues. Kendall, who has an undisclosed leg injury that does not appear to be serious, did not practice Monday and spent most of the day on an exercise bike,” wrote Judy Battista for the New York Times, July 20, 2007.
Kendall was eventually traded to Washington and the injury went away. In 2008, Baker, who wanted a new contract, was suffering from a mysterious injury and landed on PUP. Baker ended up getting a three-year, $12.2 million contract extension through 2012, but it had an out-clause that the team would owe him no money if he was cut before March 5, 2009, which he was.
Not saying that Adams will suffer a “lingering injury,” but that approach certainly worked for players like Ramsey and Kendall, and to a degree, Kelechi Osemele, who wouldn’t play with a shoulder ailment the team believed he could play with. He was put on IR and collected all his money.
Remember, the NFL has a 100 percent injury rate. Every player has something bothering them. Nobody is truly healthy.
July 9, 2020
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