Jamal for La'el Trade? Source Offers Truth On Cowboys Rumor

A Jamal Adams for La'el Collins Trade? An NFL Source Offers Truth On The Latest Dallas Cowboys Rumor

FRISCO - It is true that last October, as part of the New York Jets' willingness to listen to trade offers for Jamal Adams, they asked the Dallas Cowboys for compensation in different outrageous iterations that included All-Pro offensive lineman Zack Martin and Tyron Smith. And maybe that's the reason now that a new Jets-Cowboys trade rumor focuses on another gifted Dallas O-lineman, La'el Collins.

Reports Tony Pauline at an outlet called "Pro Football Network'': “I’m told right now that the player the Jets would ask for in a trade for Adams would be right tackle La’el Collins. That’s the player that they want. That’s the player that they’re going to target.''

It's not clear as to whether the Jets want a premium pick and a premium starter in Collins, who is signed to a long-term contract and, in the Cowboys' view, has a Pro Bowl future ahead of him. And frankly, there isn't much clarity at all regarding the veracity of the story in general.

But this we can offer: "That's a non-story,'' a source close to the situation tells CowboysSI.com.

We cannot envision a scenario in which the Cowboys swap a young star (Collins is 26) who projects to play a key position (he's the right tackle now but could someday follow Tyron as the left tackle - one of the game's most important jobs) for a safety ... especially as part of a package.

And as always, any blockbuster trade is difficult enough even when there are talks (talks of the sort that the Cowboys and Jets still haven't engaged in). We know there is no change in Adams' view; while New York defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has gone public in his support of the player, Adams has requested a trade away from the Jets, with a source close to the situation telling CowboysSI.com that the DFW native's preferred destination is his hometown Dallas Cowboys.

"He wants to be traded to the Cowboys,'' the source said.

The same difficult exists elsewhere when it comes to any pursuit of the All-Pro safety. SI affiliate All49ers is reporting that the concept of Adams to San Francisco is "picking up steam." ... but there is no indication that the Niners are willing to swap a key piece for Adams, in part because that would represent a "treadmill'' move.

The Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens are betting favorites to land Adams via trade, if a swap ever does occur. And beyond that, we do have facts attached to an Adams move, including the fact that that "$20 million APY story'' was "manufactured''. ... by somebody. ... and including the fact that, as CowboysSI.com reported on May 23, Adams might be willing to give Dallas a "hometown discount'' in the form of a delay on the extension or a lower price than otherwise wished for.

Adams - who played at Hebron High School, just a few miles away from The Star - is spending his offseason here in DFW. ...and telling a hometown fan, "I'm tryin', bro!'' when asked about Adams-to-Dallas. So it's still a "story.'' But La'el Collins being traded to the Jets? That, our source insists, is not going to be a chapter in this story.