The New York Jets’ offseason didn’t generate much excitement from fans or NFL analysts. The departures of Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams signaled the franchise’s desire to move in a less volatile direction in the locker room, but also lowered the high expectations that once surrounded the team due to its future Hall of Fame quarterback.
Still, the franchise brought in Justin Fields as its new quarterback and hired Aaron Glenn, former defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, to lead the team as head coach and shift the culture. To do that, the Jets need to keep and invest in players who truly want to be part of the rebuild. In that spirit, a former player recently said it would be a dream to return to the team and finish writing his story there.
Jamal Adams Open to a Reunion With the Jets
The Jets’ last few seasons made it clear the franchise lacked a clear direction. Constant turnover at the quarterback position, first burning through Sam Darnold early in his career, then watching the Zach Wilson experiment fail, led the team to commit to veteran Aaron Rodgers, a move that ultimately proved to be a mistake.
The two disappointing seasons with Rodgers — the first cut short by a Week 1 injury, and the second marked by poor on-field performance — pushed the Jets to hit the reset button. That reset began with Aaron Glenn. He made it clear he didn’t want uncommitted players on the roster, and during his meeting with Rodgers, he was upfront about not wanting to move forward with him.
The move was met with criticism from several former players, but it reflects exactly what Glenn’s philosophy demands: players who are there for a reason, who want to be part of the team and fight for the Jets. A defensive-minded coach, Glenn plans to bring the roster together and spark a culture change from the inside out.
With that in mind, Jamal Adams recently said on a show about the Jets that he’d love to return to the franchise that drafted him, and that he still believes he can contribute at a high level under the right circumstances.
“I would love to be back with the Jets and, obviously, finish it the right way,” Adams said. “Man, that would be a dream come true, just to patch up that relationship and kind of make it work. Just come in there as a seasoned vet and give game to the young cats and help in any way, shape or form I can.”
Adams was selected sixth overall by the Jets in the 2017 draft and had an impressive three-year run with the team, earning All-Pro honors twice, including First-Team All-Pro recognition in 2019. However, the relationship eventually soured, and he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for two first-round picks and a third-rounder.
In Seattle, Adams made an impact in his first season, but his career took a downturn after that. He was never quite able to regain the physical, instinctive style that once made him one of the NFL’s top safeties. Now a free agent with limited interest around the league, Adams still believes he can be a great player in the right situation.
“I know I can still play football. I’m healthy, and I can impact the game in a lot of ways. I just need that fair opportunity to come in and showcase what I can do.”
Currently, the Jets have Tony Adams and Andre Cisco as their starting safeties, but bringing in Jamal Adams could give Glenn a chance to use him as a hybrid defender in specific defensive packages, playing closer to the box rather than in deep coverage.
A reunion would be a dream for Adams, and maybe exactly what Glenn is looking for: someone who genuinely wants to be there.