Seahawks Confident in Josh Jones, Ryan Neal Filling Void For Injured Jamal Adams
RENTON, Wash. - Facing the prospects of being without Jamal Adams for the foreseeable future - and possibly the rest of the 2022 season - due to a quadriceps tendon injury, the Seahawks won't be able to replace the All-Pro talent's unique skill set with any one player.
But if there's a silver lining to Adams' latest injury, Seattle unfortunately has extensive experience playing without him, as he missed nine regular season games over the past two seasons with groin and shoulder issues. In those contests, veterans Ryan Neal and Josh Jones started in his place, performing admirably filling in for superstar defender while providing plenty of flexibility for then-defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.
After Adams exited Monday's win over the Broncos early in the second quarter with a quad tendon injury, Jones took his place alongside starting free safety Quandre Diggs. Playing 53 snaps, he produced seven tackles and made positive contributions on three separate goal line stands in the second half that resulted in three total points allowed and two fumble recoveries.
Thriving since joining Seattle as a practice squad signee late in the 2021 season, Jones finally has found a home after bouncing around with three other teams in his first four NFL seasons. With Adams and Neal both out, the former second-round pick out of North Carolina State earned a start in the season finale at Arizona and made the most of his latest opportunity, pitching in 10 tackles and a pass breakup in a 38-30 victory.
Re-signed by the Seahawks in May after admitting he considered retirement this spring, coach Pete Carroll has been impressed by Jones since his arrival and has no reservations about plugging him in as a full-time starter this weekend against the 49ers and for as long as Adams is sidelined.
"Josh has done nothing but positive stuff since the day he got here," Carroll said of Jones prior to Wednesday's practice. "Since then, he’s taken the next step and then the next step. Coming into this camp, he came back and had a great camp. He had the most turnovers and he had the most big plays and big hits of all of the guys. You saw him in the rotations already, he was already part of the plan. Now, he just takes a bigger step forward. He’s strong, he’s fast, he’s 220 pounds, he’s a big kid that plays the position with a really big motor, and he is a smart kid."
Proving himself to be a viable starter in his own right stepping in for Adams each of the past two seasons, Neal also should be in line for more snaps in a situational role on defense moving forward.
Originally joining the Seahawks practice squad in 2019 after brief stints with the Eagles and Falcons, like Jones, Neal contemplated walking away from the game after being released in final roster cuts two years ago. But the team wanted him back on the practice squad and by Week 3, he had earned a game day elevation to the active roster and was thrust into a tight game against the Cowboys in the fourth quarter after Adams tweaked his groin.
Undeterred by the situation, Neal put a bow on a Seattle home victory by intercepting Dak Prescott in the end zone in the closing seconds, sending 12s at Lumen Field into a frenzy and quickly becoming a fan favorite. In four starts, he amassed 28 tackles, two interceptions, three tackles for loss, and a pass breakup, earning the trust of Carroll and his coaching staff. Even after Adams returned, he maintained a rotational spot on defense as a nickel safety and starred on special teams.
Last season, Neal started five games and set a new career-best with 49 tackles while adding three passes defensed, a sack, and three tackles for loss, giving the team a boost whenever called upon. Interestingly, one of his best games came in a reserve role alongside Adams and Diggs in a road win over the 49ers in Santa Clara when he produced five tackles and a key pass breakup on just 26 snaps.
With Neal back healthy after dealing with a high ankle sprain for most of training camp and the preseason, Carroll expects him to see more field time starting on Sunday. Given the experience, size, and versatility he and Jones bring to the equation, he has no concerns about the state of the safety position minus Adams and thinks each will be a significant factor for the Seahawks for the foreseeable future.
"Ryan is going to play more, and he will be part of what we are doing," Carroll explained. "Fortunately, he made it back last week, and he is there. We love what Ryan brings... I think at the position, we are going to be okay. We are going to be alright with our guys. We were trying to figure out how we were going to play Ryan anyway going into it until he got hurt. Here we are, so we will see how it works out.”
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