Jamal Adams is supposed to be the most unique and dynamic safety in the NFL. The Seahawks are certainly paying him like it, anyway. Adams balled out in his first season in Seattle, which is one of the reasons they paid him so handsomely this offseason. Adams hasn’t been able to carry over that success into 2021, though.
Through five games Adams has zero sacks, zero quarterback hits, zero pressures and has allowed two touchdowns and a 146.3 passer rating in coverage. As bad as all that sounds he’s still a dangerous defender that opponents have to account for. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will be doing so this week and he calls Adams a unique talent. Tomlin also says getting Adams around the ball is a blueprint for success.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin remembers being at LSU night before “unique talent” Jamal Adams’ pro day, knowing his team didn’t have a high enough pick to draft him. Says “getting him around the football” is an easy blueprint for success. #Seahawks blitzing him 1/2 as much in 2021
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) October 13, 2021
Right on the money. Hopefully head coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. are listening. Adams was a superstar pass rusher last year, posting 9.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits in just 12 games. As Gregg Bell mentions, Adams’ blitz rate has fallen off dramatically, tough.
Seattle didn’t give Adams all that money so that he could try to be Minkah Fitzpatrick – while he can play deep third coverage competently it’s not the strength of his game. Adams is one of the best blitzing defensive backs in NFL history and is capable of stopping the run as well as most linebackers. If he’s going to break out of this funk, the Seahawks need to let Jamal Adams go and do what he does best.
