Report: Jamal Adams Won't Attend Seahawks Mandatory Minicamp

As expected, the Seahawks will conduct mandatory minicamp this week without safety Jamal Adams, but ongoing contract negotiations may not be the primary reason he won't be in town.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Adams won't report to the VMAC for the three-day minicamp due to personal reasons. Players who don't report are subject to fines from the team, but per a source, Seattle isn't expected to levy any punishments due to the nature of his absence.

The 25-year old Adams, who will be entering the final year of his rookie contract, is slated to make $9.86 million in 2021. Per multiple reports, he desires to become the NFL's highest-paid safety, a title currently held by Broncos star Justin Simmons, who is currently making $15.25 million annually.

But there has been speculation Adams, who views himself as a defense weapon rather than just a safety, may want elite pass rusher money. Last season, he broke Adrian Wilson's record for sacks by a defensive back, amassing 9.5 sacks in only 12 games for Seattle. Per Pro Football Focus, he finished the season with 34 quarterback pressures, 15 more than any other safety in the NFL.

Such demands could make this the most complicated contract general manager John Schneider and Seattle's front office have negotiated, including a pair of lucrative extensions for quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner.

The Seahawks acquired Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick from the Jets last July for a bounty of draft picks, including two first-round selections and a 2021 third-round selection. The deal also included veteran safety Bradley McDougald.

At the time of the trade, Seattle opted not to offer Adams an extension as part of the deal, instead deciding to wait until this spring to begin negotiations. Excited to get started with his new team, the former LSU star had no issue arriving on time for training camp despite not having a new contract in tow.

With only one year left on his current deal, however, there's a strong chance Adams won't report for training camp this time around without an extension. The good news is that the two sides will have plenty of time to continue hashing things out after the conclusion of minicamp on Thursday, as the team won't reconvene until July 27.

Based on past precedent, Seahawks fans should be optimistic about a deal coming together during that time. Schneider has signed off on multiple extensions right before or during the early stages of training camp during his tenure, including re-signing Wagner twice and most recently locking up Duane Brown on a new three-year pact.

But for now, Adams remains without a new contract and in his absence, Ryan Neal will likely take the bulk of the reps at strong safety this week. If a new deal hasn't been struck by training camp, that could remain the case until the two sides agree to terms.