Jamal Adams Rumors: Jets to Exercise Safety's 5th-Year Contract Option for 2021

The New York Jets reportedly plan on bringing safety Jamal Adams back for the 2021 campaign.

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the AFC East team will pick up Adams' fifth-year option for 2021 on his contract prior to next Monday's deadline. The option becomes fully guaranteed on the first day of the 2021 league year, although it is guaranteed for injury after the Jets submit the paperwork. 

The option will pay him $9.86 million, which matches this year's transition tag for safeties.  

Mehta noted Adams wants a long-term extension and does not plan on participating in the team's virtual offseason program.

General manager Joe Douglas suggested an extension could be coming down the line when he said after the draft, "My stance on Jamal hasn't changed. At some point, we're going to get together with him and his representatives ... The plan is for Jamal to be a Jet for life."

That would be welcome news for New York considering he has been one of the team's few bright spots since it selected him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. The Jets are a mere 16-32 since they drafted Adams, but he is a two-time Pro Bowler who was an All-Pro selection last year.

The LSU product finished the 2019 campaign with 75 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception and one fumble recovery. Just for good measure, he returned the interception and fumble recovery for touchdowns.

Adams is also just 24 years old and has proven durable by missing just two games in his career.

He is already one of the team's leaders and has a bright future ahead of him. That future will apparently be with the Jets through at least the 2021 season.