Report: Jets All-Pro safety Jamal Adams would 'welcome' trade to Seattle Seahawks

Jets All-Pro safety Jamal Adams would ‘welcome’ a trade to the Seattle Seahawks, according to a report Thursday from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The 24-year-old Adams, who’s been unhappy about his contract impasse in New York,  reportedly wants out and has officially requested permission to seek a trade, according to the New York Daily News, though the team has not granted that wish.

The Seahawks are among the seven teams he’d be open to being dealt to, per ESPN. The other six are also playoff contenders: the Ravens, Cowboys, Texans, Chiefs, Eagles and 49ers.

Safety isn’t a pressing need for the Seahawks, but room can always be made for superstars. In fact, an addition of a superstar would make Seattle’s offseason feel more complete.

An elite talent like Adams would offer an immediate boost to a Seattle defense that ranked 22nd in the NFL in 2019.

The Seahawks currently have seven safeties on their 90-man roster, five of whom were on the team last season: Quandre Diggs, Marquise Blair, Bradley McDougald, Ugo Amadi and Lano Hill.

Adding Adams would presumably create at least some job uncertainty for McDougald and Hill.

McDougald, 29, enters the last year of his contract, and some NFL observers have speculated that he could be a cap-casualty candidate. The Seahawks would save just over $4 million against the cap by releasing the 2018 Pro Bowl alternate, while taking a dead-money hit of around $1.3 million, according to Overthecap.com. Hill is entering the last year of his rookie contract.

In Diggs (under contract through 2021) and Blair (under contract through 2022), Seattle has a pair of safeties to build around. Coach Pete Carroll revealed to reporters earlier this month that the team is exploring utilizing Blair in nickel packages.

With Adams, a Seahawks’ nickel defense could feature the aforementioned alongside Diggs, Blair, and cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar. That’s a strong secondary unit on paper.

The Seahawks always do their due diligence when it comes with player availability on the market. They’ll surely do their homework on the Adams situation — whether or not they ultimately decide to pursue him.

Pete Carroll has a reputation across the NFL for encouraging a player-first environment in Seattle, an atmosphere that may appeal to Adams. The Seahawks’ status as a perennial playoff contender  — they’ve made the postseason in seven of the last eight years  — surely helps, too. Adams has never been in the playoffs.

Adams, the 6th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, is a two-time Pro Bowler. He was named a first-team All Pro in 2019. He had 75 tackles, including 10 for loss, 13 quarterback hits, seven interceptions, 6.5 sacks, a pick-6 and a fumble-return score last season.

Adams has two years left on his rookie deal.

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Ben Arthur covers sports for SeattlePI. He can be reached by email at benjaminarthur@seattlepi.com. Follow him on twitter at @benyarthur.