Presence of 'No. 1 Pick' Jamal Adams Highlights Uncertainty of 2021 NFL Draft For Seahawks

RENTON, WA - Just a day away from the start of the 2021 NFL Draft, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider held their annual pre-draft press conference with members of the Seattle media Wednesday afternoon. In a little over an hour's time, the two answered a barrage of questions that were mostly focused on quarterback Russell Wilson and the offseason circus that followed his openly-aired frustrations with the team.

After working their way through the onslaught of Wilson centric inquiries, Schneider and Carroll were able to offer some insight in regards to their preparations for this weekend's draft and overall thoughts on their offseason thus far.

For Schneider, this was his first time speaking to the media since the conclusion of last year's draft. Now in his 12th year as the Seahawks' general manager, he and his staff will be tasked to maneuver the most unique draft they've ever had to face with a league-low three selections in pocket, including just one in the top-100.

That selection isn't scheduled until the second round at pick No. 56, meaning the Seahawks won't factor into tomorrow night's events whatsoever. Instead, they'll be watching along with the rest of the world as the first 32 picks get turned in, though Schneider and Carroll are more than happy to do so with safety Jamal Adams in tow.

"We're going to be celebrating Jamal tomorrow night for sure," said Schneider.

The Seahawks dealt their 2021 first-round selection, slotted at No. 23, to the Jets for Adams last summer, along with this year's third-rounder and another first in 2022. Adams went on to appear in 12 games in his first year with Seattle, breaking the NFL's single-season sack record by a defensive back with 9.5 in the process.

Unfortunately, injuries plagued the three-time All-Pro throughout the year, forcing him to miss a quarter of the season with a groin strain, broken fingers, and a torn labrum. Now having undergone multiple surgeries for his ailments, the Seahawks expect Adams to play at an even higher level in 2021 and don't foresee his time in the Pacific Northwest coming to an end shortly thereafter.

"We're thrilled about the future with him," Carroll remarked.

"We want him to be here long term for sure," Schneider added. "He's a great player, really glad we made the trade to get him, and he's going to be a very important part of our future."

For now, Adams is entering the final year of his rookie contract. If he and the Seahawks fail to come to an agreement on a potential extension this offseason, he'll play on his fifth-year option. However, judging by Carroll and Schneider's comments, it likely won't come down to that and Seattle will make Adams one of the highest-paid defensive players in professional football.

While the significant draft capital it took to acquire Adams was a tough blow to their outlook this weekend, it's one Schneider was willing to endure given the uniqueness and uncertainty in this year's event. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual NFL combine was cancelled, and teams were restricted from allowing prospects to visit their facility and conduct private medical evaluations.

This was an even more severe loss of resources than last year, despite the closeness of the 2020 NFL Draft to the start of the pandemic. Before the world seemingly shut down all at once, teams were able to undergo a more normal process in the buildup to the draft with events such as the combine taking place as originally scheduled.

They also had a typical dose of film and scouting to work off of with each and every prospect, whereas this year, many either played a limited slew of games or opted out of the season entirely.

"It's definitely a unique year," Schneider stated. "It factored into the equation with [the Jamal Adams trade] last summer as we were reviewing and trying to project ... what the fall was going to look like [for the college football season]."

Schneider and Carroll were adamant they have no regrets now that they're faced with the consequences of their blockbuster deal.

"Our No. 1 pick is Jamal Adams," Carroll laughingly explained. "I mean, that's a heck of a pick."

Working without a first-round selection isn't new to the Seahawks. They dealt one to the Vikings in 2013 for receiver Percy Harvin, then again two years later for Saints tight end Jimmy Graham. They also carried a meager four-pick arsenal for a time in 2019, though they had a first-rounder to begin with and added another by trading defensive end Frank Clark to the Chiefs that offseason.

Still, Schneider and company have experience getting creative around this time of year. The longtime general manager is notorious for trading up and down - mostly down - in the draft and will likely follow suit once more this weekend.

While Schneider didn't commit to a potential trade-down from No. 56 in order to accumulate more picks, he certainly didn't close the door on the opportunity either. To him, it all just depends on which players fall to the spot and what teams are looking for in that moment.

"When you start out, philosophically, you may want to do that but it's not necessarily an easy thing. It's not something that is necessarily pre-planned."

"So you're saying there's a chance," Carroll jokingly chimed in.

There will likely be a chance indeed, and the Seahawks will most certainly have to entertain any and every offer. Although it's hard to gauge this draft and the players it has to offer, they have several needs along their roster that remain unaddressed and very little salary cap space to do so through other avenues. Adding more picks - and thus, affordable talent - will be crucial to filling out the rest of their roster for 2021 and beyond, especially with a lucrative contract extension on the horizon for Adams.