Ravens Reportedly Among Seven Teams on Jamal Adams' Trade List
Over the past eight months, any speculation about New York Jets All-Pro safety Jamal Adams being traded has included the Ravens being mentioned as a potential destination. It continued yesterday with reports that Adams has requested a trade and the Ravens are one of seven teams to which he would welcome a trade.
Adams took to Instagram yesterday to express his frustration over the lack of progress in negotiations with the Jets on a long-term contract extension. He has said multiple times this offseason that he wants a new deal before the season begins.
The Jets, who have exercised Adams' fifth-year option for the 2021 season, have not given his agent permission to speak with teams about a trade, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins, who added that "a source says there are certain teams Adams would be willing to be traded to where he won't request a contract extension, at least not right away."
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert said the Ravens are the best fit for Adams among the seven teams mentioned.
"Baltimore is always a good fit for veterans seeking a new direction, and it would know how to use Adams' skill set," Seifert wrote. "Put him next to Earl Thomas III for a year for a Super Bowl push, and then let him anchor the defense for years to come after that."
Adams and the Ravens were first linked together in October, when the Ravens reportedly were "actively going after" the sixth overall pick in the 2017 draft. Then in May, former New York Daily News NFL columnist Gary Myers told ESPN Radio San Antonio that the Ravens were reportedly among the teams interested in trading for Adams.
Former Raven Tony Jefferson added fuel to the fire by trying to recruit Adams to Baltimore during an Instagram Live discussion between the two players.
After Jefferson told Adams that he fits what the Ravens do, Adams replied: "They've got a hell of a culture because it's all about defense. That's rare."
While the idea of a player of 24-year-old Adams' caliber joining a Ravens secondary that arguably is already the best in the league is certainly appealing, there are multiple reasons why it doesn't seem likely.
For one, the Ravens appear set at safety with Thomas and Chuck Clark. The Ravens signed Thomas to a four-year deal worth a reported $55 million last year, and signed Clark to a three-year contract extension worth a reported $16 million in February.
"Baltimore would actually lose cap space just by cutting either of them right now, according to Over The Cap, which they can't really afford even if they wanted to," Ravens Wire’s Matthew Stevens wrote. "Furthermore, giving Adams a contract extension before locking up guys already on the roster like Matthew Judon, Marlon Humphrey, or Ronnie Stanley would be a head-scratcher."
The other issue is what the Ravens would have to give up to land Adams. Would General Manager Eric DeCosta be willing to part with significant draft capital, which could include multiple first-round picks?
Lamar Jackson Excels at Going Through His Progressions
Because of Lamar Jackson's amazing athleticism, his cerebral skills and field vision often get overlooked, but Pro Football Focus identified Jackson as one of the league's better quarterbacks at going through his progressions.
"Lamar Jackson continues to break the (false) narrative that he can't read through his progression as a passer," PFF’s Sam Monson wrote. "Since coming into the league, Jackson ranks in the bottom 10 in terms of percentage of first-read throws. And if we were to confine ourselves to just his MVP season, the number gets even better and places him in the top five, one spot better than Aaron Rodgers.
"Jackson has always worked through his progression well, and he grades pretty well when he does so, and that is entirely independent of any value he adds with his legs."
The 23-year-old Jackson's rapid development in all aspects of the game is all the more impressive considering he's only started 24 games in the NFL and is younger than this year's No. 1 overall pick, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
In a video call with reporters in April, Jackson said he is focusing on the mental part of the game during the offseason.
"If anything, I just want my mind to grow even more, just learning the ins and outs of the game even more – Tom Brady stuff," Jackson said. "That's all I want to do right now, focus more."
On a side note, NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks named Jackson as the quarterback who's most likely to reach the Super Bowl while still on his rookie contract.
"He is an explosive player. He's dynamic in the running game. He changes the way defenses have to defend the Ravens offense. They create a ton of big plays on offense in the passing game," Brooks said. "And then when you think about this defense getting better with Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe coming over [and] the maturation of Matt Judon, I just think the Baltimore Ravens are well-positioned to get to the Super Bowl with Lamar Jackson in charge."
Gil Brandt: Ravens Should Never Let Ronnie Stanley Leave
NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt identified Stanley, the protector of Jackson's blind side, as one of 12 players whose teams should never let them leave.
"Hall of Fame tackle Jonathan Ogden spent his entire career with the Ravens, and the franchise should do its part to ensure the same thing can one day be said about Stanley," Brandt wrote. "The sixth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft has steadily improved, thanks to an unbelievable work ethic, to the point that he's in the conversation about the NFL's best left tackle."
The Ravens have made it clear they want to keep Stanley in the fold for years to come. However, the price tag will be hefty.
"Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Stanley will be seeking a deal equaling, if not exceeding, the three-year, $66 million extension recently given to Texans tackle Laremy Tunsil," Brandt wrote.
Stanley said recently that he's in no hurry to get a deal finalized.
"We've been in talks for the last couple of years now," Stanley said in a video call with reporters last month. "I'm comfortable with where we are in that regard. When the time comes, it will come."
Matt Skura Reportedly Passes Conditioning Test
Center Matt Skura recently took the next step in his recovery from season-ending knee surgery nearly seven months ago. Skura passed the Ravens' conditioning test, his athletic trainer, Jay Johnson, told The Baltimore Sun’s Jonas Shaffer.
Skura, who has started 39 games for the Ravens over the past three seasons, suffered a torn ACL, MCL and PLC in Week 12. Johnson told Shaffer he's optimistic Skura will be ready for the start of training camp in late July.
"If Skura's healthy enough to start, he'd settle one question along an offensive line also looking to replace All-Pro right guard Marshal Yanda, who retired this offseason," Shaffer wrote.
The Ravens' offseason conditioning tests are regarded as some of the toughest in the league.
"It's believed to include six back-and-forth, 150-yard sprints, totaling 900 yards. Each heat has to be completed in 35 seconds, and players are given only a 70-second break. It takes just one failed heat to fail the test," Shaffer wrote.
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