Seahawks have a player on NFL’s all-paid team but he needs to be better

NFL.com put out an article on the NFL’s all-paid team and the Seahawks have one player on the list. But is he deserving of his contract?

The player in question is Jamal Adams. Adams is the highest-paid safety in the league and by 2025 his base salary will be $17.5 million with a total cap hit of $24.61 million. In 2022, Adams’ cap hit is “only” $9.11 million but his dead cap is $30,44 million. Starting in 2023 is when things really get fun for the safety.

Adams’ base salary in 2023 is $11 million and his cap hit is $18.11 million. In 2024 his cap hit goes to $23.61 million and it’s $24.61 million in 2025. The Seahawks do have a potential out after 2023, though, when Adams would carry a dead cap of $14.22 million but Seattle would save millions more by releasing Adams.

Seahawks safety Jamal Adams named to NFL’s all-aid team

But likely, they won’t do that and probably shouldn’t. That said, Adams isn’t playing like the best safety in football while he is getting paid like the best. Plus, Adams has missed 9 games in his two years with the Seahawks and couldn’t finish last season. He had labrum injuries in the same shoulder in both of the last two seasons.

One has to hope this isn’t some kind of degenerative issue that is going to affect Adams for the rest of his career. Availability is a talent too and Adams needs to be better at it.

In 2021, Pro Football Focus graded Jamal Adams as the 52nd-best safety in football. Qunadre Diggs was 23rd. Ryan Neal was 54th, so Adams was only two spots better than his backup. That isn’t good. Adams’ coverage grade of 47.3 was among the worst in the league.

In 2020, Adams flashed why he could be so special when it comes to pass rush. In 12 games, Adams had 12 quarterback hits and 9.5 sacks. That number of sacks was a record for an NFL defensive back. But in 2021, Adams shockingly had zero in both those categories.

Maybe some of this was the overall direction of the defense by now-fired defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. If so, 2022 could be much better for Adams and Seattle’s defense. Possibly new DC Clint Hurtt will find more creative ways to use Adams and maximize his ability.

Because Adams does have great and unique ability. He also seemingly will always struggle in coverage, though. He is getting paid like the best safety but isn’t. Yet, the Seahawks don’t need him to be the best in the NFL for the defense to be better; the team just needs Adams to be the best version of himself.