Cowboys Trade Talk: 'Close' to Getting Jamal Adams? Not 3-Premium-Picks Close

How "close'' were the Dallas Cowboys to trading for Jets star Jamal Adams? Not 3-Premium-Picks Close

FRISCO - The New York Jets will be keeping their unhappy star safety Jamal Adams. And the Dallas Cowboys will be keeping their three high picks.

Our understanding is that as the Tuesday NFL trade deadline approached, the Cowboys were willing to part with a 2020 first-round pick and possibly a "sweetener'' (assume a later-round pick). What did the Jets counter-propose?

Reportedly, they liked the idea of that one premium pick.

But they wanted a second premium pick.

Oh, and they wanted a third premium pick, too.

Safety Adams is a star, a Pro Bowler, a 24-year-old DFW native and a difference-maker. But as the Cowboys already established in other recent deals made and not made, multiple premium picks was never going to fly here.

Cowboys management believes a year ago it spent major capital to trade for Raiders receiver Amari Cooper. Dallas is ecstatic with the way it's turned out ... but one first-round pick is still regarded here as "major capital.''

Recently, the Jaguars traded defensive back Jalen Ramsey to the Rams for a package that includes two first-round picks. Dallas was never involved in exploration there as soon as that price was established.

So the Cowboys move on without the standout (though they are sure to make overtures again) while the Jets now have to answer questions from their audience and from Adams as to why he was made available in trade in the first place.

It seems a bit disingenuous for Adams to be upset about being the subject of trade talk, given his own trade-related noise - on social media and in reported whispers to pals. But that's the Jets' problem still ... and at a cost of three high picks, despite bogus rumors of how "close'' this was ... was never going to be the Cowboys' problem.