Robby Anderson takes shots at Jets over pay, quarterback play

Robby Anderson left the New York Jets for the Carolina Panthers this offseason, and he seems to have few positive memories of his time in New York.

Anderson sent multiple tweets on Friday taking shots at the Jets. The first involved him retweeting a compilation of Jets quarterbacks missing him when he was open, seemingly signifying his unhappiness with the team’s quarterback play while there.

https://t.co/yWjhEX68eL

— Robby Anderson (@chosen1ra) July 3, 2020

Later, Anderson tweeted that the Jets had “won” their situation, as they had not felt any need to pay him what he felt he was worth due to his status as an undrafted free agent.

Anderson certainly knew his value, and priced the Jets out of it as a free agent. He caught five touchdowns and racked up 779 yards in 2019, but will probably feel he can do better if he has more consistent quarterback play.

Jets reportedly talking with Demaryius Thomas about a return

Demaryius Thomas did not make a major impact with the New York Jets after they acquired him in a trade with the New England Patriots last season, but the team reportedly has some interest in bringing him back.

The Jets have been in contact with Thomas about a potential return, Connor Hughes of The Athletic reports. With a wide receiver corps that features Breshad Perriman and rookie Denzel Mims as the starters on the outside with Jamison Crowder in the slot, New York may want to get Sam Darnold some more help. Thomas is familiar with the offense from the 11 games he played with the Jets last season, so they could certainly do worse.

Thomas, 32, has battled injuries in recent years and lost some of his ability to separate from defenders. He posted five consecutive seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards from 2012-2016, but his production has fallen off since. In 11 games with the Jets last year, Thomas caught 36 passes for 433 yards and a touchdown. He never appeared in a game for the Patriots before they traded him.

Thomas unloaded on the Patriots after they traded him to the Jets, but nothing he did on the field in New York convinced anyone New England should have kept him. If he does return to the Jets, it will likely be on a short money deal.

Adam Gase says issues between Jamal Adams, Jets will remain ‘in-house’

Jamal Adams has been on a mission to convince people that he will not be playing for the New York Jets this season, but head coach Adam Gase does not want to publicly discuss the dark cloud hanging over the organization.

Gase was asked on Friday about Adams’ recent trade demand, and he said any issues the Jets and the Pro Bowl safety are having will be kept “in-house.”

Adam Gase on Jamal Adams:

"Anything that's gonna deal with communication with Jamal [Adams] will stay between us. That's how we're operating, by keeping things in-house and keeping things tight."

Gase won't discuss the Adams situation publicly. #Jets

— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) June 26, 2020

Adams has two years remaining on his rookie contract, but he wants a long-term deal this offseason. The Jets are in no rush to sign him to an extension, and reports have indicated that Adams recently informed the team he wants to be traded.

Gase may prefer to keep the issues in-house, but Adams has been blatantly trying to place pressure on the Jets. He told fans last week that he wants to play for the Dallas Cowboys, and he later raised eyebrows with a tweet that appeared to read like a farewell to one of his current teammates.

Adams, 24, had 75 tackles, an interception and 6.5 sacks last season. Here are the teams on his list of preferred trade destinations.

Jets could trade Le’Veon Bell at deadline if they’re out of contention?

The New York Jets have admitted in the past that they have not completely ruled out trading Le’Veon Bell, but they appear to be committed to the star running back heading into 2020. Depending upon how the team performs, that could change rather quickly.

Bell averaged a measly 3.2 yards per carry last season, but the Jets have revamped their offensive line this year and are hoping that helps both Bell and Sam Darnold. They also signed veteran Frank Gore, who could lessen Bell’s workload. However, if Bell gets off to the same type of start this season that he got off to in 2019, the trade speculation could finally become a reality.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini believes the Jets are likely going to shop Bell at the trade deadline this season if they are out of playoff contention. Although, trading him could be easier said than done. Bell still has three seasons remaining on the four-year, $52 million contract he signed with New York over a year ago. There have been some concerns about his conditioning and explosiveness, so he may not be an appealing trade target if he looks sluggish again.

Bell has gone out of his way to downplay the supposed issues he was having with Jets head coach Adam Gase. We know that winning in the NFL is the ultimate cure, so things will probably be fine between the two if the Jets get out to a hot start. If not and Bell is perceived to be part of the problem, he is almost certain to be shopped on the trade market.

Report: Jets still want to sign Jamal Adams to extension, are willing to wait

Jamal Adams is frustrated that the New York Jets have not yet signed him to a contract extension, and that frustration boiled over this week when the Pro Bowl safety requested a trade. That does not mean the Jets intend to part ways with him, however.

The Jets still want to sign Adams to an extension and feel he is a “building block” for their team going forward, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. Teams have simply been unwilling to shell out big-money contracts to players while uncertainty swirls about revenue and the 2021 salary cap situation, so the Jets are trying to wait things out.

From @GMFB: The #Jets view Jamal Adams as a huge piece moving forward and despite his trade request… they may just do nothing and wait him out. pic.twitter.com/EDuYjRBjZN

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 19, 2020

Adams, who will earn $3.5 million this season, does not want to wait. He has made it clear that he wants a new deal as soon as possible, but he’s also under contract for just under $13 million in 2021 after the Jets exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie deal. The new collective bargaining agreement states that any player who is not present at the start of training camp will not earn an accrued season toward free agency, so Adams doesn’t have a ton of leverage other than becoming a headache.

Tension has been brewing between Adams and the Jets all offseason. The 24-year-old reportedly gave the team a list of rivals he wants to be traded to this week.

Report: Jets have no plans to pursue Jadeveon Clowney despite cap space

The New York Jets have the cap room to pursue Jadeveon Clowney, and could probably use a big name to excite the team and fan base. That’s still not going to be enough, however, to get them to pursue Jadeveon Clowney.

According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, the Jets have no plans to pursue Clowney. There has been speculation that there may be mutual interest, but the Jets have concerns about his price tag and relative lack of production in 2019.

The Jets cleared Trumaine Johnson from their cap on June 1, opening them up to a potential splash. Clowney won’t be it. The Jets are satisfied with what they have at the position.

This underscores the problem Clowney has been having in free agency. He has high demands, but teams will want more than the three sacks he collected last year if they’re paying him for elite production. Combine that with injury worries and it’s easy to see why Clowney may be waiting a while to find a new team.

New Jersey governor paves way for Giants, Jets to begin training camp

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that professional sports teams are clear to resume training in the state, and his colleague in New Jersey has now followed suit.

On Tuesday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy gave pro sports teams the green light to reopen their training facilities as long as they follow health and safety protocols. That will allow the Jets and Giants, who reside in New Jersey, to move from virtual workouts to in-person activities.

UPDATE: Professional sports teams in NJ may return to training and even competition – if their leagues choose to move in that direction. We have been in constant discussions with teams about necessary protocols to protect the health and safety of players, coaches, and personnel. pic.twitter.com/yMrCFtSyqY

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 26, 2020

The NFL has told teams they can reopen their facilities as long as their local governments approve, and several teams have already received clearance. Since New York and New Jersey were two of the hardest-hit states by the virus, it is a good sign that sports have been given the green light in those areas.

While sporting events will undoubtedly look a lot different than we’re used to when they resume, things appear to be trending in the right direction.