Safety Jamal Adams is taking an active approach to his request to the New York Jets to bring in more “big-time players.”
Adams told the New York Post from radio row at the Super Bowl in Atlanta that he met with Le’Veon Bell’s agent, Adisa Bakari, last week when he was in Orlando, Florida, for the Pro Bowl. The Pittsburgh Steelers running back, who sat out last season in a contract dispute, will be one of the most coveted free agents available next month. He has been franchise tagged the past two seasons, but a third such tag is unlikely.
Adams’ agent, Kevin Conner, later reached out to the newspaper to clarify that the meeting was a “casual lunch” and said he was present as well. Conner and Bakari are friends.
“I’ll tell you this: We’re hoping we can grab him,” he told the newspaper, adding that he has reached out to Bell but has not heard back.
“Man, he still hasn’t hit me back. I’m kind of frustrated with him,” Adams said jokingly to the Post. “Nah, I’m not. I’m not frustrated with him at all.”
Adams, who was named the Pro Bowl’s Defensive MVP in the AFC’s 26-7 victory over the NFC, also said he met with other players about joining the Jets at the Pro Bowl but would not disclose their names.
“I’ve definitely started [recruiting] with a couple of guys,” Adams told the newspaper. “I sat down with a couple of guys at the Pro Bowl. Hopefully, we can get them there.”
He said the players he spoke with “understand that we’re just missing a few pieces.”
The Jets, who hired coach Adam Gase after firing Todd Bowles after the season, are projected to have $93,837,909 in salary cap space, second only to the Indianapolis Colts, according to OverTheCap.com.
Following the Jets’ 38-3 loss to the New England Patriots to complete a 4-12 season, Adams said the Jets “need more players and we need more dogs, simple as that,” and pointed to the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, who succeeded after adding “big-time players.”