Seahawks Final Report Card: Safety Play Still Stellar Without Jamal Adams?
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With the 2022 season officially in the books, the Seattle Seahawks will head into the offseason with plenty of momentum after a surprising 9-8 season that resulted in an unexpected return to the playoffs.
Though Seattle struggled plenty on the defensive side of the football, even after Jamal Adams went down with a torn quad tendon in the season opener, safety remained a bright spot with Quandre Diggs back in center field and a host of reserves filling in admirably in base and nickel packages. Looking back at a season where the team was forced to play musical chairs at the position, how did the group perform in 2022?
What Went Right
When Adams hobbled off the field in the first half of a Week 1 win over the Broncos, the Seahawks looked to be in big trouble with a new coordinator in Clint Hurtt attempting to install a new scheme. But while his absence brought negative ripple effects on the rest of the defense as they tried to adapt without him, Ryan Neal resurfaced as not only a capable starter, but a borderline All-Pro caliber defender in his own right. Earning the highest grade among safeties per Pro Football Focus, he showed off his well-rounded game amassing 66 tackles, a sack, an interception, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and four tackles for loss.
Along with Neal receiving three First-Team All-Pro votes in a breakout year replacing Adams, Diggs rebounded from a somewhat sluggish start in his return from a broken ankle to round back into form with a spectacular second half. Picking off four passes in the final eight games, he became the only defender in the NFL to post at least three interceptions in each of the past six seasons. The ball hawk allowed a league-low 47.6 completion rate and a 60.7 passer rating against in coverage, continuing to put up "No Fly Zone" signs on posts and seam routes, earning himself a third straight Pro Bowl selection.
With Adams and Neal both missing at least three games due to injury, the Seahawks also received positive contributions from former Raiders first-round pick Johnathan Abram and ex-Florida standout Teez Tabor. Abram, claimed off waivers from the Packers, started the final two regular season games and produced 10 tackles and two pass breakups in a brief stint in the Pacific Northwest, while Tabor pitched in with nine tackles in limited defensive snaps when called upon. In addition, undrafted rookie Joey Blount emerged as a core special teams player, registering eight tackles and a fumble recovery on kick and punt coverage in 11 games.
What Went Wrong
Given how well Neal played as a starter, the Seahawks may have dodged a bullet with Adams once again going down with a severe injury. However, in a season where the team exceeded expectations without him, it's worth wondering how much better the rest of their defense would have been with the energizer on the field. Coach Pete Carroll and Hurtt had built their new scheme with a primary goal of accentuating his unique talents and in training camp, he played extensive snaps as a linebacker in nickel sets with two other safeties on the field, which would have allowed him to play in the box and blitz more often to play to his strengths.
Without Adams available for the last 16 games as well as the playoffs, Seattle wasn't afforded the opportunity to see what the scheme would look like with him, Diggs, and either Neal or Josh Jones at the other safety spot playing together as planned. Once we went down, Jones failed to build off a strong training camp and eventually was benched after the team allowed more than 39 points to the short-handed Lions and Saints. It took the team more than a month to right the ship a bit with Neal back in the lineup and even then, problems defending the run and rushing the passer persisted that may not have been as big of a deal if Adams was playing.
As well as Diggs and Neal played most of the season, they certainly have room for improvement as well. Diggs dropped four interceptions, including a crucial missed pick opportunity in a Week 15 loss to the 49ers. Between him, Neal, and Jones, getting ball carriers down to the ground was a consistent issue as well, as they combined to miss 34 tackles as a trio on the season.
Final Grade: B+
Prior to the season, with both Adams and Diggs coming back from injuries, the Seahawks expected to have one of the best - if not the best - safety groups in the NFL. When Adams was taken off on a cart in the home opener on Monday Night Football, many expected the injury to sink their defense without one of the most disruptive play makers in the league. But thanks to Neal's presence, Diggs returning to his usual self as the season progressed, and Abram and Tabor chipping in, while they didn't receive perfect play at the position, they were able to weather the storm and remain one of the more productive safety groups in the game.
At the end of the day, Diggs' propensity for creating turnovers keeps him among the best in the sport at the free safety spot. Meanwhile, Neal's reliability as a run defender and ability to effectively cover tight ends as well as big bodied slot receivers in the passing game has further enhanced his value as one of the most underrated safeties in the league.
Looking toward 2023, the return of a healthy Adams should only make this group even more dynamic and with a little better fortune on the injury front, Seattle hopes to finally be able to see all three players thriving together on the field at the same time and in turn lead to improved overall play on defense.
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