Chuck Clark may get in the way of a Jamal Adams move for the Ravens:
Jamal Adams has made it very clear, he wants out of the Jets. The Ravens are one of the teams that he is interested in joining and according to some sources, the Ravens are one of the favorites to land him. However, the Ravens already have Chuck Clark, and that might be the biggest obstacle when it comes to trading for Jamal Adams.
To the pain of many Jets fans, Adams has asked for a trade and it seems like he is determined to get out of New York this time. His natural ability at the safety position is well known as he has made two all-pro teams in his first three years in the league. He is a natural box safety who is great against the run and is one of the best pass-rushing defensive backs in the league. He would make the Ravens better, but is Adams so much better than Clark? I would argue that Clark is closer in ability to Adams than most people would think. That would be the reason why the Ravens won’t trade for Jamal Adams.
Clark had his breakout season with the Ravens last year and his impact on the team was felt immediately. He became the signal-caller for the defense, showed his ability to cover running backs and tight ends, and actually finished with the most tackles on the team. Clark did all of this while only starting 12 games, which leads me to believe that we have yet to see the best of Clark. Not to mention the Ravens got a steal of a contract when they resigned him. Clark is set to make $16 million dollars over three years, while there is a chance that Adams will be asking to make around $16 million dollars every year.
Even when one compares the stats of both players you can see that both are very close in ability. Clark had more tackles than Adams, but Adams had more sacks and tackles for loss than Clark. When it comes to coverage ability Adams allowed a lower completion percentage than Clark, however, the passer rating allowed is essentially the same. I am sure that the Ravens are looking into picking up Adams, but it might just be them doing their due diligence. Because if the Jets are still asking for a first-round pick and two second-round picks, there is no way the Ravens even entertain trading for Adams.
Even if the Ravens somehow did get Adams, how would that work on the field? Would the Ravens play three safeties at a time? Would the Ravens try to swap Clark and maybe a 2nd round pick to get him? If that happens what about their cap situation? With Marlon Humphrey and Ronnie Stanley coming to the end of their contracts, the Ravens will need to have some money in the bank to sign those players. It sounds fantastic to get a player like Adams, but completing a trade like this would hurt the team in the future and may not even work out.
If we look at other trades where a team has given up a first-round pick and more for a player, the chances of it working out are inconsistent. I am sure the Rams were excited to get someone like Jalen Ramsey, but they did not make the playoffs and wound up without first-round picks to help an offensive line that was very poor. The Steelers managed to pick up Minkah Fitzpatrick for a first-rounder. His impact on that defense was impressive and I think we can say this trade worked out, but the Steelers will also have to look at paying him in the next year or two.
The trade for Adams might be more realistic if Clark wasn’t on the team, but the Ravens have one of the more underrated safeties in the league. Adams is a great player, but I doubt he will be wearing purple and black anytime soon.