Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke to the media for the first time since agreeing to trade Pro Bowl S Jamal Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for S Bradley McDougald and three draft picks — Seattle's first-round selections in both 2021 and 2022 and its 2021 third-round pick.
"We're excited about the premium draft selections that we're going to be receiving over the next two years along with a safety that's been a consistent performer," Douglas said. "[McDougald] started 75 games and has 10 career interceptions. We're excited about the opportunity that this gives us. I've repeatedly said my responsibility is to always take calls and assess their value to the Jets. Ultimately, this was a deal that made sense for us to make."
Douglas said it was an honor to work with Seahawks general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll, but the deal is still not official as Adams and McDougald have yet to take their physicals. McDougald, who started 14 games for the Seahawks last season, will arrive in New Jersey Monday night and take his COVID test. If the results come back negative, he'll take his physical on Tuesday.
"We're really excited to bring Bradley McDougald into the fold," Douglas said. "He's a good football player. He's a guy that can help us."
In February, Douglas said his plan was to make Adams a Jet for life. When asked about those comments, Douglas said the trade "certainly wasn't the plan when I first arrived here. The circumstances, how things played out, it really was our plan to keep Jamal here. When our conversations started with John and Seattle several weeks ago, the focus became clear this is a great opportunity for us and the franchise moving forward."
This deal sets the Jets up with four first-round selections over the next two seasons, but before he agreed to an offer that was "too difficult to pass up," Douglas said he and his staff were ready for everything including Adams to report to camp. They were going to have a discussion to try to work out a resolution. Adams recently publicly expressed his dismay with the Jets both on social media and in a story written by the Daily News. Douglas, contrary to the story, said he never sent Adams' camp an offer and was honest in the Jets' communication. He added the team wasn't in a position to extend Adams this offseason because of the uncertain economic future.
"This is a business and you don't take things personally," he said. "Obviously there's a reason why those things were said. I don't take those things personally and I don't think anyone took those things personally. You kind of understand why those things were said and I can promise you that didn't affect any of our decision making that happened over this last week."
While the Jets traded away their two-time Team MVP and set themselves up for the future, Douglas made it clear they're not rolling over in 2020.
"My message to the team and the fanbase is that we're trying to build this the right way and I think this deal helps us do that. I think we're working to build a foundation of great players and great people. Going back to what I've said in the past, building the right culture and having the right chemistry in the building. I've said it multiple times today, but we have a group of guys who have a lot of drive and hunger to prove that the finish of last year was not a fluke. If we can capture that momentum and push it into 2020, there's a lot of exciting things that can happen, but it's going to take a group effort.
"We are doing everything and working tirelessly to get the right people in this building."
