Todd Bowles on Mayfield prep flak: Adams ‘misspoke’

This is becoming a trend the Jets do not want to turn into a habit.

Five weeks after ripping last year’s team, Jamal Adams took aim at the Jets’ coaching staff, saying they were unprepared to deal with Browns backup quarterback Baker Mayfield. And much like in training camp, coach Todd Bowles dismissed the comments as merely a young player who needs to watch his words more carefully.

“He misspoke. He didn’t mean it, and he’s a young player and part of having young players as leaders [is] sometimes [they’re] going to have growing pains,” Bowles said on Wednesday following practice. “It’s a teachable moment. He understands that. We talked about it.”

Tuesday, appearing on his weekly spot on WFAN’s “Carlin, Maggie & Bart” show, the big-hitting safety said the Jets didn’t have a game plan for Mayfield, the No. 1-overall pick in the draft who was serving as Tyrod Taylor’s backup in last week’s loss at Cleveland. When Taylor got hurt late in the second quarter, with the Jets ahead 14-0, Mayfield entered and changed the game, completing 17-of-23 passes for 201 yards to lead the Browns to their first win since Dec. 24, 2016.

“We didn’t see it happening, I’m just being honest,” Adams said on the show.

In early August, Adams, a 2017 first-round pick, told Bleacher Report when he got to Florham Park as a rookie, he entered into a losing culture where “everybody was used to losing” and “it was like everybody wanted to do the bare minimum.” He ripped teammates for not knowing the plays, missing assignments and lacking the motivation to put in extra work. Adams stood by those comments, describing himself as a “hungry guy.”

On Wednesday, Adams claimed his comments were misconstrued, that he never said the Jets were unprepared to face both quarterbacks, and cut off further questions on the subject.

“I’ve said plenty of times that our coaching staff is [one of] the best, if not the best,” the second-year safety said.

Bowles claimed he didn’t have a reaction when he heard about the comments, though he made a point of talking to Adams about them and seeking out an explanation.

“I don’t even want to go into it, but it’s just making excuses and I’m not trying to make excuses,” Bowles said. “It’s not a bad look. It’s a young player. I know what he meant. The team knows what he meant, and we’ve moved on from there.

“It’s not a bad look,” he repeated. “It’s part of a young player getting older and dealing with the media. He’s going to have some growing pains, but we’ll work through them and he’ll be fine.

“He’s still a young player. He’s going to make some mistakes. This won’t be the last one he makes going forward.”

But was what he said wrong? Linebacker Avery Williamson echoed Adams, telling The Post the Jets were not prepared for Mayfield. Then again, the newcomer said teams rarely prepare for two different quarterbacks when one is getting all the in-game snaps.

“We were preparing for Tyrod all week,” Williamson said. “He got injured and they put [Mayfield] in. He’s not really the zone-read type that Tyrod is.”

Safety Marcus Maye, who has yet to play this season, said the Jets prepared for both quarterbacks, but the Browns’ game plan with Mayfield was not something the Jets were ready for. Asked if his team was prepared for Mayfield, Bowles said he was focused on the upcoming game with the Jaguars.

On the field, the Jets have been pleased with Adams. He has gotten off to a fast start — with 19 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, a sack and three passes defended. Still, they sit at 1-2, in need of a victory and will have to get it by beating the contending Jaguars on the road.

“We understand what’s at stake,” Adams said. “We have to go down there and get a win.”