You ask, we answer. The Post is fielding questions from readers about New York’s biggest pro sports teams and getting our beat writers to answer them in a series of regularly published mailbags. In today’s installment: the Jets.
Does Joe Douglas truly believe in Sam Darnold — or are these extra first-rounders ammo to trade up for Trevor Lawrence? — Bobby Iadanza
I have heard this a lot since the Jamal Adams trade went down, Bobby. I do think Douglas and the Jets truly believe in Darnold. That being said, he does need to prove them right at some point and this year is a pivotal year for him. The Jets face a few Darnold decisions after this year. They must decide whether to pick up his fifth-year option for 2022, which under the new collective bargaining agreement will be fully guaranteed when they pick it up. They also need to decide whether to give him a contract extension, which he will be eligible for after this year.
In no way do I think Douglas is thinking that these first-round picks are “ammo” to get Trevor Lawrence right now. I’m sure Douglas views these picks as creating flexibility. They can add some good players with the picks or they could use them to trade up if there were a player they coveted. In theory that player could be Lawrence next April. I don’t see the Jets giving up on Darnold after this year, though. I think they are still several steps away from that.
With Jamal Adams traded, shouldn’t the Jets look to extend Marcus Maye? And do you see them signing Logan Ryan, [Jadeveon] Clowney or swinging a trade for Yannick Ngakoue? — Brad Mac
It’s a great point on Maye, Brad. I think the Jets would explore an extension with Maye, who had a strong 2019 season. He is not going to cost nearly as much as Adams and has shown he can be a solid player on defense.
The goal for the Jets is to draft, develop and sign their own players. Douglas wants to get out of the vicious cycle the Jets have been in of overspending in free agency. Maye is the type of player he can start doing that with. Depending on what Maye is asking for, maybe a deal gets done during this season. He is scheduled to hit free agency in March.
I don’t see them signing one of the big free agents or making a big trade. I think they would like to carry over as much salary-cap space into 2021 as they can. They have about $20 million right now.
When did Jamal start looking to be traded? Was is it before or after “Joe took that trading deadline phone call”? You should do a timeline on this saga to show if Jamal was lying from the beginning. — Barry Ader
If the Jets paid Adams his asking price in January, he’d still be a Jet. The Jets did have some questions whether he truly wanted to be here. Adams has been griping about the team for a while. Remember his “dawgs” speech at the end of the 2018 season when he basically said his teammates were not that good? It was well known inside the locker room that Adams reached out to Cowboys players at the deadline last year and expressed his desire to be in Dallas. That and his subsequent statement to the media that he would love to be on the Cowboys did not sit well with teammates.
All that being said, if the Jets paid Adams he would have been here. The true trade demand did not happen until the Jets said he was not getting an extension. I find it fascinating that the Seahawks did not extend him and he is OK with that.
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Why haven’t the Jets considered Dez Bryant when they knowingly don’t have depth at WR? How would he not be an asset to help [Breshaud] Perriman, [Denzel] Mims and [Jamison] Crowder? — Anthony Bless
Dez Bryant has not played since 2017 and is 31 years old. He also can be a headache. I’m not sure he is the answer for the Jets. I agree they could use more depth at wide receiver but the Jets need to develop some young talent to provide them depth, not pluck guys off the scrap heap. Vyncint Smith and Braxton Berrios showed promise last year. They could be solid backups this year.