Seattle Seahawks are done negotiating with star safety Jamal Adams

The Seattle Seahawks have reportedly halted negotiations with star safety Jamal Adams. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the Seahawks made a final offer to Adams last week. If Adams is not willing to accept the offer, Seattle is apparently willing to use the franchise tag on him.

For now, the Seahawks won’t budge on their final offer

Adams, the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Jets, has become a top NFL safety. Last year, his first with Seattle, Adams had 83 total tackles, 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 12 games. In his four-year career, Adams has 356 total tackles, 21.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, two interceptions and 28 passes defended.

The Associated Press tabbed Adams as a second-team All-Pro in 2018 and 2020, and a first-team All-Pro in 2019. Mike Florio said that the Seahawks have made what they feel like is a fair offer to the star safety.

“More than a week after making reportedly a final offer to the fifth-year safety and with no plans to budge, a league source tells PFT that the team is truly done negotiating with Adams,” Florio said. “They believe they’ve made a fair and appropriate offer. And that if he doesn’t want to accept it, he can play out his option year and get franchise-tagged twice, for 2022 and 2023.

Contract negotiations led to Adams being traded from the Jets

Last July, the Jets traded Adams and a fourth-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for two first-round picks and a third-round pick. The Jets decided to move on when they were unable to meet his contract demands.

“Those familiar with Adams from his time with the Jets aren’t surprised,” Florio said. “The Jets traded him in part because they believed they couldn’t reason with him. And by giving up a pair of first-round picks in a trade for him without signing him to a new deal, the Seahawks were inheriting a potential if not inevitable impasse.”

It was reported last week that the Seahawks were prioritizing negotiations with Adams over negotiations with offensive tackle Duane Brown. Now, the team seems content to play things one year at a time with Adams.

For now, Adams is due $9.86 million this season. If franchise-tagged in 2022, that projected cap hit is currently $13.5 million. If Seattle franchise-tagged Adams again in 2023, that total sits at $16.26 million.