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Once the Super Bowl is over, the NFL offseason chatter begins. Jets beat writer Brian Costello joined Joe & Evan on WFAN Friday afternoon, live from the site of Super Bowl LIV where he’s covering the Kansas City Chiefs.
Joe Benigno began the conversation feeling confident about Jets safety Jamal Adams and his contract negotiations with the team. “It looks good, this is going to get done, right Brian?” Benigno asked.
Costello was not quite as definitive with his answer, saying “I don’t think they’re too deep into contract negotiations.”
“I don’t think they’re very far along," Costello continued. "I think the Jets realize he’s a guy that’s worth paying and if you’re going to draft somebody that does as well as he’s done, All-Pro now, you’ve got to sign him and send a message to the locker room that if you’re going to play well, we’re going to pay you."
The Jets star safety is scheduled to make $3.5 million this season, which is significantly less than his worth as the team’s most valuable defensive player. Costello did add that negotiations might take a while, but he does believe a contract between the Jets and Adams will get done this offseason.
Running back Bilal Powell and offensive lineman Brian Winters both joined Joe and Evan on their show Thursday afternoon, but Costello guessed that neither player will be on the Jets next season. Powell and Winters are the Jets two longest-tenured players, lasting into their third coaching regime, but both struggled to remain consistently healthy throughout their careers.
Robert Deutsch/ USA Today Sports As for wide-receiver Robby Anderson, a home-grown Jet who’s about to hit free-agency, “It’s about the money,” Costello said. “I think they’d love to have him back, I don’t think they want to pay him $14 million a year.” Costello believes the Jets will likely tell Anderson to come back to them before accepting a deal from another team, if he gets a $12 million offer, they might match it, but $14 million they would likely say no.
Looking ahead to the NFL Draft, where the Jets hold the 11th pick, Costello says their mentality should be best player available at three positions. “Offensive line, cornerback, edge rusher. I take the best player from those three positions that’s available at 11. If three tackles go off the board, you can’t kill the Jets for not taking the fourth tackle if the number two edge rusher is available.”
With Costello in Miami to cover the Chiefs, Roberts asked him about Damien Williams. Like Ryan Tannehill with the Tennessee Titans, Williams has found success since leaving the Miami Dolphins and Adam Gase. Should their success be an indictment on the now head coach of the Jets?
According to Costello, Williams told him it’s not fair to place blame on Gase. His success with the Chiefs is simply about timing and finding the right spot.
Evan also asked about the Chiefs superstar quarterback Pat Mahomes. “When you were sitting there as a 22-year old watching a meaningless Mets game in May 1999, did you think the long-reliever’s son would become the best quarterback in the NFL?”
“No, I did not, I remember calling him Pat Ma-homers though,” Costello laughed.
The MVP quarterback's father, Pat Mahomes Sr. pitched in the majors from 1992-2003, giving up 22 homers during his two seasons and 157.2 innings on the mound with the Mets.