If you want Jerry Jones’ Cowboys to “do something” just to create the appearance of “all in”? If you want the “show biz” “romance” of signing a local guy to some sort of “Last Dance” chance? Sign Jamal Adams.
FRISCO – Some Dallas Cowboys observers – maybe desperate for owner Jerry Jones’ team to “do something” – are now throwing up against the wall a series of goofy roster-move concepts that demonstrate assorted levels of ignorance about how all of this works.
In many of these cases, media outlets have “connected” the Cowboys to trades for star players on the level of, say, Davante Adams. As CowboysCountry.com has explained in great detail, this franchise’s plans are about the future, making that sort of commitment a non-starter.
So, along come other throw-at-the-wall suggests. If the Cowboys aren’t going to do something with a guy who can play at the highest level … maybe they should do something small with a guy who no longer can play at all?
One outlet is insisting that faded Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams, who has officially been granted his request to be released by the Tennessee Titans, would be a “valuable asset” in Dallas. But that statement is made with no knowledge of the situation.
Adams, now a 29-year-old, was saddled with injuries during his failed term with the Seattle Seahawks. But he also had odd run-ins with teammates, media members and even fans, and at one point was essentially urged by the organization to no longer bother coming to work.
Adams signed a one-year deal in the offseason at a bottom-barrel salary of $1.125 million. It was a last-chance long shot for both parties. And now just a few weeks, into the season, with the Titans having allowed him to appear in three games (the once-legendary playmaker totaled four tackles), they are happy to cut him loose.
The outlet claims that “multiple teams are likely to pursue the services of the former 2019 First Team All-Pro, and the Cowboys should consider signing Adams …”
That first claim is likely not factual; we would not predict a “Jamal Adams Sweepstakes” here. And the second claim, about Dallas? We can romanticize the concept, as he is a DFW native (he played at Hebron High, about eight miles from The Star) who lives here in the offseason. We can also pretend to turn back the clock to the days when he was a stud with the New York Jets and there were flirtations about bringing him home.
Indeed, we broke the story at the 2019 NFL trade deadline of Dallas offering a first-round pick and cornerback Anthony Brown in trade. The Jets declined. He ended up in Seattle. And the Seahawks finally dumped him this spring.
How much did Seattle want to get rid of him? The Seahawks chose to eat Adams’ entire dead money hit this year, which is over $20 million, rather than keep him around.
So Seattle wanted out, as a high cost. And Tennessee wanted out, at no cost. Get our drift?
The website claims Adams’ “presence could help elevate the play of younger players on the defense.” That’s wrong; he locker-room behavior in Seattle suggests that Adams “influencing younger players” is about the last thing the Cowboys need.
The website claims his “ability to blitz and create turnovers aligns with (coordinator) Mike Zimmer’s aggressive defensive philosophy.” That’s wrong; Adams recorded 9.5 sacks in 2020, but in the last four years he has zero sacks. Adams recorded two interceptions in 2021 but in the last three years he has zero interceptions.
The truth is, the guy the Jets took sixth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft out of LSU who became a three-time All-Pro does not exist anymore.
So … If you want Jones’ Cowboys to “do something” just to create the appearance of “all in”? If you want the show biz or the “romance” of signing a local guy to some sort of “Last Dance” chance? Go for it. But know that it will be for reasons like that, and that it will not be a “football person” move.
