Seahawks 90-Man Roster Primer: Jamal Adams

One of the biggest storylines of the 2020 season and subsequent offseason, Adams is coming off a record-setting year with 9.5 sacks as a defensive back. Now, he's looking to break another record by securing the largest contract for a safety in NFL history.

Author:
Colby Patnode
Publish date:
Jul 26, 2021 11:10 AM EDT

With the calendar flipping to July and offseason programs recently wrapping up, NFL training camps will begin around the league in less than a month. To celebrate the new incoming season, we will be breaking down the Seahawks' 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst-case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2021 campaign.

Jamal Adams, Safety

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 213 pounds

2020 stats: 83 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three pass deflections, one forced fumble in 12 games

The Seahawks gave up a king's ransom to acquire two years of All-Pro safety Jamal Adams from the Jets, and his first year in Seattle was a bit of a hit-and-miss campaign. On one hand, he missed four games and often struggled in pass coverage at inopportune times. He also didn't register a single interception. However, he set the record for most sacks by a defensive back, played well against the run and filled several roles on a defense that quickly became more amorphous than ever before. Adams also played a huge role as a source of energy on the field and quickly became a locker room favorite. Fans' opinions on Adams seem to depend on whether or not they think of him as a traditional safety, a discussion that is surely being held between him, his agent and Seahawks general manager John Schneider at the time of this writing. The biggest unresolved story of training camp is whether or not the two sides will come to an agreement on a multi-year extension. Reports indicate that the Seahawks want to keep Adams below the annual salary of teammate Bobby Wagner, but are willing to make him the highest-paid safety in league history.

Best Case Scenario: Adams and the Seahawks reach an equitable agreement before the first preseason game, giving Adams the peace of mind that he is set for life and eliminating any possibility of a holdout. Pleased with his new contract and his new familiarity with his role in the defense, Adams plays all 16 games this season and breaks his own sacks record, while finding a way to generate a few more turnovers in 2021.

Worst Case Scenario: Adams and the Seahawks can't come to an agreement and a holdout gets deep into training camp, leaving the former first-round pick unable to play his full allotment of snaps early in the season. This may lead to nagging injuries, and Adams is unable to reach his full potential in the defense while leaving a sour taste in his mouth in future negotiations with the Seahawks.

What to Expect in 2021: The Seahawks typically don't have an issue working out these types of contract extensions shortly before the start of training camp. They famously came to an agreement with both Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner on the eve of the 2015 training camp and it's possible something similar will happen here. With Adams locked in as a devastating pass rushing weapon unlike any other safety in football, Seattle's defense finds its next anchor in preparation for a possible life without Wagner in the near future. Teaming up with Quandre Diggs, as long as he stays healthy, he should be in the mix for All-Pro and Pro Bowl consideration once again.