Thoughts on Raiders not trading for star safety Jamal Adams

Since I often pushed for the Las Vegas Raiders to get in the mix for All-Pro safety Jamal Adams during his quest to be traded, I felt the need to address the situation now that the New York Jets have dealt him to the Seattle Seahawks, ending that pipe dream of mine.

Let’s look at the key elements and how it relates to the Raiders:

He was too expensive:
The Jets did very well in this deal, especially since the entire league knew how badly Adams wanted out of their building. The Jets received first-round picks in the next two years, a third-round pick next year and safety Bradley McDougald. In addition to Adams, the Seahawks received a fourth-round pick in 2022. Not many teams would agree to those terms for a safety, no matter how good he is. The price was just too steep.

It’s not the end of the world:
While it would have been nice for the Raiders to land Adams, it’s not a crushing blow that he is not on their roster. Yes, he would have been the best player on the defense, but other opportunities will develop down the road.

Raiders need to keep their eyes open:
The Raiders are in the position to add an upper level player when they become available. You never know when that will happen. So, when another Adams’ situation develops, and it will, Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock, need to look into it.

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

How it affects Jadeveon Clowney:
Many people assumed the Seahawks would be out of the running for free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney because they added Adams, but that is not accurate.

Also, people around the NFL that I have spoken to, believe the Seahawks will try to bring Clowney back. The Raiders, who have shown interested in Clowney, can still land him, but the Seahawks are not yet out of the picture.