NFL Rumors: Latest Jadeveon Clowney, 49ers, Cowboys Buzz After Jamal Adams Trade

The end of the 2019 offseason saw two noteworthy trades. The Miami Dolphins dealt left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Houston Texans, while Houston traded Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks. Though not as close to the regular season, Seattle made a similar late-offseason deal Sunday.

The Seahawks acquired safety Jamal Adams from the New York Jets. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Seattle also gets a 2022 fourth-round pick while surrendering first- and third-round picks in 2021 and a 2022 first-rounder:

While Adams is a Pro Bowl safety, it's difficult to fault the Jets for pulling the trigger on this deal. Not only is this a massive trade package for a box safety, but the deal also allows New York to avoid a big potential headache in 2020.

On Friday, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News published an interview in which Adams criticized both the Jets and head coach Adam Gase.

"I don't feel like he's the right leader for this organization to reach the Promised Land," Adams said of Gase, per Mehta. "As a leader, what really bothers me is that he doesn't have a relationship with everybody in the building."

Additionally, the Jets avoid having to deal with Adams' next contract. The former LSU star has two more years on his rookie deal but is both eligible for and seeking an extension.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported in June that at least one source believed Adams is looking to be one of the league's highest-paid defenders. The task of paying him now belongs to the Seahawks, which, as Fowler recently pointed out, likely ends their pursuit of free-agent pass-rusher Clowney:

According to Spotrac, Seattle has a little under $17 million in cap space. If the Seahawks grant Adams his desired extension now, it's hard to see them also fitting Clowney into that margin. ESPN's Dianna Russini reported in March that Clowney was seeking a deal in the $20 million-per-year range—though it's fair to wonder what Clowney's expectations might be this late in the offseason.

Fowler also pointed out that the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys were both in on Adams before the Seahawks deal came to fruition.

The Cowboys are a bit of an odd fit, as the team ranked 11th in run defense last season and have just over $8 million in cap space. Extending Adams would be difficult, especially with quarterback Dak Prescott set to hit the open market in 2021.

However, Dallas owner Jerry Jones has never shied away from making a splash, so perhaps the Cowboys' interest shouldn't come as a surprise.

The 49ers make more sense for Adams, as they ranked a good-but-not-great 17th in run defense last season. Adams is a fantastic run-support safety who could have helped San Francisco shore things up at the second level.

Last year's Super Bowl finalists have just under $12 million in cap space, so extending Adams would have been slightly easier for them, though certainly not a breeze. The 49ers would have also prevented Adams from going to last year's top NFC West rival. But as it transpired, his run-stopping prowess will now be used against them.

Seattle seems to believe that adding Adams will be enough to shift the power dynamic in the division—at least, the Seahawks are betting two first-round picks that he will.