Jets Try and Fail to Trade Jamal Adams and Le'Veon Bell

As if things weren't bad enough for the Jets, today's news certainly won't help a locker room where players are likely looking over their shoulder more than ever before.

After trading Leonard Williams to the Giants for a third round and conditional fifth round pick on Monday, the Jets were working the phones, as rumors flew the club was trying to trade either safety Jamal Adams or running back LeVeon Bell.

However, once the 4 p.m. trade deadline came and went neither star was on his way out the door, and both GM Joe Douglas and head caoch Adam Gase claimed there would be no fire sale, and there was never an intent to trade either player.

Yet the rumors were damning; the Jets tried to do something.

Earlier in the day Daily News reporter, and known conspiracy theorist, Manish Mehta reported that the Jets were amenable to potential deal for Bell, who has been underutilized in the Jets offense this season, averaging a career worst 3.2 yards per carry.

Later Rich Cimini of ESPN tweeted out that the Jets were listing to offers for Bell, even though he was not actively being shopped. There was a belief that his $13.5 million in guaranteed money next year would be a reason for the Jets front office wanting to split with him.

By 4 p.m. Connor Hughes of the Atlantic said the Jets had no intention to trade Bell at all. 

Let's be honest it has been widely reported that Gase was not crazy about the signing of Bell when it initially went down last spring, yet both sides have not shown any friction until now. Bell, who has been a good solider since coming to the Jets, has seen his carries drop precipitously  in Gase's offense as the head coach is putting more and more pressure on Sam Darnold to throw the ball. Had the Jets traded Bell, it would have been a serious blow to the quarterback's development.

As for Adams, there were multiple reports the Jets and Cowboys were trying to strike a deal that would have sent Adams to Dallas. Adam Schefter even tweeted that Adams wanted to go to the Cowboys.

However, Adams, himself later denied such interest on Twitter.

The Adams situation however only gets more bizarre. Reports were the Jets were trying to fleece the Cowboys of multiple draft picks, including first rounders for the safety, but Dallas would not budge. Even the Ravens got into the mix, but the Jets couldn't strike a deal with anyone for Adams.

Adams is no stranger to speaking his mind. He has built a reputation of speaking freely to the media and likes to vent out his frustrations on Twitter. This kind of behavior probably has gotten to the chagrine of Gase and Douglas, especially with Adams have a horrible year on the field. His play on Sunday certainly doesn't help when he dropped a key interception, and failed to sack Gardner Minshew on a play that turned into a 70-yard score for Jacksonville.

This is where Connor Hughe's reporting really gets interesting. During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Douglas is quoted as saying he would listen to trade requests if it come this offseason for either Adams or Bell -- although he didn't outwardly say he would trade either.

Then there is THIS BOMBSHELL!!  Hughes re-tweets an angry Jamal Adams who claims he had a sit-down meeting with Gase and Douglas, expressing his desire to stay in New York, only to get a call from his own agent that the Jets "went behind my back" to try to shop him to other teams. Hughes added in the Tweet that Douglas had not spoken to Adams post-trade deadline.

This is going to end badly for the Jets and Adams. Clearly a divorce is in the offing. Those clamoring for Gase to be fired, today's actions and words from the General Manager should make it clear that he and Gase have every intention to build the team in their image, even if it means tearing the foundation apart.

Players like Adams and Bell will be gone come next season that is pretty much assured unless all sides can kiss and make-up.  The Jets are quickly and swiftly trending into murkier waters by the day.