There was a time not so long ago when it appeared that Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye would rule the Jets secondary forever.
Times have certainly changed.
The Daily News has learned that the Jets have had trade discussions involving Maye, prompting questions about how Gang Green will proceed on the back end given Adams’ tenuous contract situation and the team’s recent third-round investment in safety Ashtyn Davis.
Adam Gase wanted to trade Maye upon getting hired last year before level-headed voices convinced him that it would be a mistake (because he’s a very good player), team sources said.
General manager Joe Douglas has fielded trade inquiries and engaged in discussions about Maye in the past year, but chose to keep the free safety (because he’s a very good player).
Davis’ arrival might change the dynamic for the Jets, who didn’t draft the Cal safety with the No. 68 pick to be just be a long-term rotational piece.
However, Maye is a valuable proven commodity that played a critical centerfield role in his first year in Gregg Williams’ defense.
Adams has dominated the spotlight since the duo was drafted with Gang Green’s first two picks in 2017, but talent evaluators across the league are fully aware of Maye’s impact too. Truth be told, Maye, who was the No. 39 overall pick by the previous Jets regime, would be a first-rounder in a re-do of the 2017 draft.
Maye played 95 and 99 percent of the defensive snaps in his first and third seasons. He bounced back from an injury-marred 2018 campaign with a career-high seven pass deflections last year, including a game-winner in the endzone in the waning moments of a win against the Steelers in Week 16.
Adams and Maye could/should have been the one of the top safety tandems for a decade, but Douglas finds himself in a quagmire given the current state of affairs.
The G.M. chose not to trade Maye in the run-up to the draft after engaging in talks. Then, he took Davis on the second day of the draft.
Now, Douglas is in a precarious position: Should he keep, extend or trade Maye?
Adams is looking for a monster payday, but a canyon currently separates the two sides’ valuation of the All-Pro. Meanwhile, Maye would be foolish to take 50 cents on the dollar in an extension right now.
Should Douglas hold on to Maye for now and move him at the trade deadline for 2021 draft compensation?
Or would it be smarter to let Maye, who’s scheduled to make just $1.4 million in the final year of his rookie contract, walk in free agency before likely picking up a 2022 compensatory pick? How about if Douglas can swing a sensible trade now?
[More Jets] Jets should have drafted more than one wide receiver for Sam Darnold »
Davis’ presence changed the dynamic given that he could ultimately take over Maye’s centerfield role. But what if negotiations with Adams turn ugly? Could the Jets risk losing Adams and Maye?
Although there’s no denying Adams’ game-changing prowess, Maye is hardly an afterthought to talent evaluators across the league. They know how impactful he can be.
But can the Jets afford to keep both of them? Does it even make sense now that Davis is in the fold?
“He brings a lot to the table… with all the positions that he plays,” Gase said of Davis. “His ability on special teams. You’re looking at a guy that can do a lot of things for us.”
Williams could flash his creativity with three-safety looks, make no mistake about it: Davis wasn’t brought in to be a long-term backup.
[More Jets] Jets had trade with Broncos nixed after Falcons drafted Matt Hennessy: sources »
There’s no debating that Adams, Maye and Davis would cover a lot of ground and make things challenging for opponents this season, but the Jets didn’t draft Davis to be a third wheel for the next four years.
“Marcus and Jamal are so versatile with all the things that they can do,” Gase said. “Now, all of a sudden you got three guys that can do the same thing, where they’re all moving all over the place. It makes it difficult for an offense to kind of know what’s going on. For us to have the ability to be able to do that… How much we do it, time will tell.”
The picture in the Jets secondary is going to change sooner or later.
www.nydailynews.com
Times have certainly changed.
The Daily News has learned that the Jets have had trade discussions involving Maye, prompting questions about how Gang Green will proceed on the back end given Adams’ tenuous contract situation and the team’s recent third-round investment in safety Ashtyn Davis.
Adam Gase wanted to trade Maye upon getting hired last year before level-headed voices convinced him that it would be a mistake (because he’s a very good player), team sources said.
General manager Joe Douglas has fielded trade inquiries and engaged in discussions about Maye in the past year, but chose to keep the free safety (because he’s a very good player).
Davis’ arrival might change the dynamic for the Jets, who didn’t draft the Cal safety with the No. 68 pick to be just be a long-term rotational piece.
However, Maye is a valuable proven commodity that played a critical centerfield role in his first year in Gregg Williams’ defense.
Adams has dominated the spotlight since the duo was drafted with Gang Green’s first two picks in 2017, but talent evaluators across the league are fully aware of Maye’s impact too. Truth be told, Maye, who was the No. 39 overall pick by the previous Jets regime, would be a first-rounder in a re-do of the 2017 draft.
Maye played 95 and 99 percent of the defensive snaps in his first and third seasons. He bounced back from an injury-marred 2018 campaign with a career-high seven pass deflections last year, including a game-winner in the endzone in the waning moments of a win against the Steelers in Week 16.
Adams and Maye could/should have been the one of the top safety tandems for a decade, but Douglas finds himself in a quagmire given the current state of affairs.
The G.M. chose not to trade Maye in the run-up to the draft after engaging in talks. Then, he took Davis on the second day of the draft.
Now, Douglas is in a precarious position: Should he keep, extend or trade Maye?
Adams is looking for a monster payday, but a canyon currently separates the two sides’ valuation of the All-Pro. Meanwhile, Maye would be foolish to take 50 cents on the dollar in an extension right now.
Should Douglas hold on to Maye for now and move him at the trade deadline for 2021 draft compensation?
Or would it be smarter to let Maye, who’s scheduled to make just $1.4 million in the final year of his rookie contract, walk in free agency before likely picking up a 2022 compensatory pick? How about if Douglas can swing a sensible trade now?
[More Jets] Jets should have drafted more than one wide receiver for Sam Darnold »
Davis’ presence changed the dynamic given that he could ultimately take over Maye’s centerfield role. But what if negotiations with Adams turn ugly? Could the Jets risk losing Adams and Maye?
Although there’s no denying Adams’ game-changing prowess, Maye is hardly an afterthought to talent evaluators across the league. They know how impactful he can be.
But can the Jets afford to keep both of them? Does it even make sense now that Davis is in the fold?
“He brings a lot to the table… with all the positions that he plays,” Gase said of Davis. “His ability on special teams. You’re looking at a guy that can do a lot of things for us.”
Williams could flash his creativity with three-safety looks, make no mistake about it: Davis wasn’t brought in to be a long-term backup.
[More Jets] Jets had trade with Broncos nixed after Falcons drafted Matt Hennessy: sources »
There’s no debating that Adams, Maye and Davis would cover a lot of ground and make things challenging for opponents this season, but the Jets didn’t draft Davis to be a third wheel for the next four years.
“Marcus and Jamal are so versatile with all the things that they can do,” Gase said. “Now, all of a sudden you got three guys that can do the same thing, where they’re all moving all over the place. It makes it difficult for an offense to kind of know what’s going on. For us to have the ability to be able to do that… How much we do it, time will tell.”
The picture in the Jets secondary is going to change sooner or later.
Jets have had Marcus Maye trade discussions: sources
There was a time not so long ago when it appeared that Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye would rule the Jets secondary forever. Times have certainly changed. The Daily News has learned that the Jets have had trade discussions involving Maye,…
www.nydailynews.com
