Marcus Maye not ruling out future trade request if Jets tag him again

Another summer, another unhappy safety.

A year after the Jamal Adams saga came to a blockbuster end, his former running mate, Marcus Maye, is not thriled with how his own contract negotiations went with the Jets. Maye and Gang Green failed to reach an extension before the July 15 deadline, which means the defensive back will play the 2021 season on his one-year, $10.6 million franchise tag.

Asked if he was treated fairly during negotiations, Maye described the talks as “somewhere in the middle.”

“I wasn’t happy,” the 28-year-old said Saturday. “I wasn’t satisfied.”

Maye added that he was hoping to strike a deal and “get settled,” referring to his future, but that didn’t happen. Now he faces the possibility of being tagged again next offseason. Asked if he would request a trade in such a scenario, Maye didn’t rule the option out.

“I’ve got 17 weeks to be the best that I can be, and then once we get to that point, we’ll cross that line again,” he said.

The Jets traded Adams at his request last summer following a contract dispute. Adams still had two years left on his deal, but he left the Jets with no choice by repeatedly and vocally taking his frustrations public. Maye has always been more reserved, but the two safeties are close. Maye said he still talks to Adams regularly, though not always about football and contractual matters.

A second tag would come with a 20 percent raise — a $12.7 million salary — for Maye, but he is seeking a long-term deal closer to the ones that Denver’s Justin Simmons and Chicago’s Eddie Jackson signed. Simmons has the highest average salary of any safety at $15.25 million.

“There are a lot of great guys in this league,” Maye said. “I feel like I’m right there with all of them.”

As Maye looks to focus on football before diving into any future career decisions, the Jets will get a chance to see how the safety fits Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s new defense. Maye enjoyed a career year in 2020, recording two interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles, 11 passes defended and 88 tackles. A team captain, the campaign also earned him team MVP honors. However, Maye’s compatibility in a new scheme will have a greater impact on New York’s long-term evaluations than what he did last year.

Despite all the uncertainly and the failed negotiations this offseason, Maye is still hoping that there’s a resolution that features him in Jets green.

“I would love to be here for the long haul,” Maye said. “But we just couldn’t meet in the middle.”