Jets DC Gregg Williams on Jamal Adams Amid Contract Rumors: 'I Got His Back'

New York Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams signaled his support for safety Jamal Adams amid contract issues and a reported trade request.

"He has to handle his contract," Williams told reporters Thursday. "He'll do all that kind of stuff... I'm hoping everything goes well. I love coaching him. And I got his back."

Last week, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported Adams requested permission to seek a trade after becoming frustrated with the sluggish pace of extension talks.

Williams said Thursday he puts the 24-year-old LSU product in the same category as some of the best players he's coached during a career that's spanned more than 30 years.

"I think the world of him," he said. "I've had a chance to coach a lot of really good players. Some that are already in the Hall of Fame. And many others that are going to go in the Hall of Fame. And he's going to have a legitimate chance staying healthy to be one of those guys later on that we'll all talk about."

Adams, the Jets' first-round pick in 2017, has earned Pro Bowl appearances each of the past two years and was named First Team All-Pro in 2019. He recorded 75 total tackles, seven passes defended, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in 2019.

The Texas native is heading into the fourth season of his four-year, $22.2 million rookie contract. The front office has exercised the fifth-year team option in the deal, which will feature a $9.9 million cap hit in 2021.

He's taken to social media during the offseason to discuss the situation:

Williams said he hopes the Jets don't trade their defensive cornerstone.

"I want him to feel good about being here," he said. "I want him to feel good about everything that's going on. And he knows when he gets inside the door and inside the white lines with us, there is a chemistry that's outstanding."

It's unclear whether New York would even consider moving Adams, who skipped the team's virtual offseason program while waiting on a new contract.

He'd be a massive loss for New York's defense, which ranked seventh in the NFL last season, especially with the AFC East up for grabs after Tom Brady's departure from the New England Patriots.