Jets GM Joe Douglas Calls Jamal Adams 'A Core Player' Amid Cowboys Trade Rumors

New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas praised safety Jamal Adams as a "core player" amid trade speculation ahead of the 2020 NFL draft.

Douglas discussed Adams during an appearance on ESPN Radio New York (via ESPN's Rich Cimini):

"He was a big reason I was excited about coming here. I feel this guy is a core player," Douglas said. "... The main goal that I'm trying to do right now is to surround him with like-minded players, because we know Jamal is a dog. We have to surround him with guys that play as hard as he does, that love football as much as he does and can match his intensity."

Adams racked up 75 total tackles, seven passes defended, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and a touchdown across 14 appearances for the Jets in 2019 to earn his second straight Pro Bowl selection.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the 24-year-old LSU product wasn't planning to attend the team's virtual offseason program while waiting on a new contract.

Douglas said Monday he's planning to reach out to Adams after the draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday, to talk about a potential deal.

The safety is set to enter the fourth year of his rookie contract. The Jets hold a team option for the 2021 campaign.

"It's a business. I understand," Adams said on NFL Network in February (via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).

He's been most frequently linked to the Dallas Cowboys dating back to last year's trade deadline, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones played down the idea Tuesday.

"Probably unlikely to make a draft-pick trade for an established star," Jones told reporters. "Highly unlikely."

So all signs point toward Adams remaining with the Jets, at least for the immediate future.