Hell Yes, the 49ers Should Trade for Jamal Adams

I've changed my mind.

Someone who has been in the NFL for 30 years called me today and said, “Hell yes, the 49ers should trade for Jamal Adams.”

“Come again?” I said.

I had just written an article about why the 49ers probably won’t trade for Adams, the All Pro strong safety who wants off the Jets. I just dismissed the idea entirely.

I jumped the gun.

This person reminded me you never, ever pass up an opportunity to acquire a great player. And Adams is great.

This person has a point. He persuaded me. I’ve changed my mind.

Here are five reasons the 49ers absolutely should trade for Adams.

1. Secondary is the 49ers’ biggest weakness.

It’s basically the same secondary that was historically bad in 2018, and exactly the same secondary the Chiefs exposed in the Super Bowl.

After next season, Jimmie Ward will be the only starting defensive back who’s not a free agent. Richard Sherman, Jaquiski Tartt, K’Waun Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon all could leave.

The 49ers need a new leader of the secondary, someone who can follow in the footsteps of Ronnie Lott -- another great 49ers leader.

Adams would make the 49ers’ defensive backfield so much more dangerous.

2. Adams is better than Jaquiski Tartt.

Nothing against Tartt -- he’s solid. Lots of teams would be lucky to have him.

But in five seasons, Tartt has intercepted just three passes, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and missed 21 games.

Compare Tartt to Adams, who in just three seasons has picked off three passes, forced six fumbles, recovered four fumbles, scored one touchdown and missed only two games. No comparison.

Adams is a playmaker. Tartt is not.

Tartt isn’t necessarily the reason the 49ers lost the Super Bowl, but he isn’t the reason they won, either. He didn’t make enough plays for them to win. Maybe Adams would have.

3. If the 49ers don’t trade for Adams, the Seahawks or Cardinals might.

Meaning the 49ers would have to face Adams twice a season for the foreseeable future. Scary thought.

Adams didn’t list the Cardinals as one of the seven teams he’d like to play for, but the Cardinals are an ascending team that almost certainly would love to trade for Adams. This offseason, they traded for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. They’re aggressive. Maybe they can persuade Adams to join them.

Adams did list the Seahawks as a team he’d want to play for, and the Seahawks probably want him, too, for the right price.

The 49ers need to find out what that price is. They can’t let the Seahawks or Cardinals get Adams, because then that team might win the NFC West.

4. The 49ers would have Adams under team control until 2022.

And he’s not particularly expensive. His salary-cap number is $7.1 million in 2020, and it will be $9.8 million in 2021 if a team picks up his fifth-year option, which the 49ers would pick up. So they wouldn’t have to worry about re-signing Adams for two full years. And he’s only 24-years old. He’s a smart investment.

5. The salary cap will rise significantly in 2022.

When Adams becomes an unrestricted free agent in two years, the 49ers should have plenty of cap space to sign him. The cap could rise as much as $60 million during the next three years. Cap space won’t be an issue by then.

The 49ers probably can acquire Adams from the Jets for a first-round pick and a player -- maybe Tartt, maybe someone else. And Adams is worth a first-round pick. He almost certainly would be better than any player the 49ers could draft in Round 1 next year.

They should get Adams today.

Can’t believe I didn’t see this sooner.