After 4 injury-plagued seasons, safety Jamal Adams’ time with the Seattle Seahawks has come to an unceremonious finish.
On Tuesday, Seattle made the quite unsurprising transfer to launch the three-time Pro Bowler as a part of a number of cuts to arrange for the brand new league yr.
Not solely was Adams — who was acquired from the New York Jets in 2020 — unable to remain on the sector for Seattle, however he by no means got here near replicating his 9.5-sack debut season with the staff. In truth, Adams hasn’t recorded a single sack since then and has solely performed in 22 video games in that span.
While his finest days are undeniably behind him, Adams may very well be an intriguing boom-or-bust possibility for groups eyeing to bolster their secondary.
Here are three groups that may very well be a match for Adams.
Dallas Cowboys
If Seattle hadn’t mistakenly traded a package deal that included two first-round picks for Adams, chances are high that Dallas would’ve been the staff the Jets took benefit of. The Cowboys made a suggestion for the Lewisville, Texas native on the 2019 commerce deadline, and Adams later expressed curiosity within the staff following his commerce request from New York.
Despite beginning safety Jayron Kearse being set to hit free company, Dallas is in a comparatively secure spot by way of safety depth, even when it can not re-sign the veteran. Although which means Adams’ companies aren’t essentially wanted, contemplating he ought to come low cost, he’d be value taking a flier on.
Not to say that since Adams has by no means been dependable in protection, he may very well be higher suited to serving extra of a field linebacker position with the Cowboys. In flip, this might permit LB Markquese Bell to slip again to safety extra usually and compensate for a potential Kearse departure.
Green Bay Packers
Green Bay will certainly be out there for a number of safeties, as its high three gamers on the place might be unrestricted free brokers. In all probability, the Packers most likely will not contemplate an Adams pursuit till high safety choices resembling Xavier McKinney and Geno Stone make their free-agency selections.
Even so, in the event that they strike out on the extra reliable candidates — or just wish to add depth — Adams is able to carrying a number of hats for a Packers protection that might profit from extra versatility.
As we touched on in Dallas’ part above, Adams’ finest probability to increase his profession could also be taking part in extra at linebacker than at safety, and if he is keen to take action, he’d be an ideal match for the Packers.
At the time of this text’s publication, Green Bay solely has 4 inside linebackers underneath contract for 2024, and it might nonetheless launch De’Vondre Campbell to avoid wasting almost $10.6M in cap house.
Even although Green Bay must handle its cap state of affairs properly, the staff should not be discouraged from playing on Adams, particularly if it cuts Campbell.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Back in 2021, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin instructed reporters that Adams was a “unique talent” and defined that “getting him around the football” was a easy system for success. Of course, Adams is not near the participant he as soon as was, however maybe Tomlin can put him in the very best state of affairs to thrive.
Despite having Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal signed by way of subsequent season, Pittsburgh will seemingly search for a safety who can begin reverse All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick this offseason.
According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Kazee and Neal had been the NFL’s 71st and 73rd-highest-graded safeties in 2023. While each graded increased than Adams, the previous Seahawk was judged on a nine-game pattern dimension. When wholesome, Adams remains to be arguably simpler than Kazee and Neal.
The Steelers have proven a willingness to see what they will get out of gamers previous their primes, most just lately with CB Patrick Peterson and WR Allen Robinson II, although neither acquisition paid off in 2023.
However, Adams, in principle, is a greater reclamation undertaking to spend money on and may very well be open to a deal value lower than the two-year, $14M contract Peterson signed final offseason.
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