Wrong Seahawks safety ranked in ESPN’s top ten ranking

ESPN is releasing their rankings of the top ten players at different positions and recently ranked the safeties. A Seahawks player was named but the wrong one.

The Seahawks have two of the higher-paid safeties in the NFL and both players should be good and are expected to play a major role in making the 2022 version of the defense better than the 2021 one. Both of Seattle’s safeties are coming off injuries from last season, however.

That said, ESPN ranking Jamal Adams as the 10th-best safety in the NFL is great but also does a disservice to the better of the Seahawks safeties, Quandre Diggs. Diggs did not make the list but at least did get an honorable mention.

ESPN disrespects Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs in latest ranking

Two years ago, Adams was ranked as the best safety in ESPN’s ranking and last year was fourth. So ESPN must think Adams is getting worse as a player. Maybe he is. But Diggs is better either way.

Adams is a special talent in the strictest meaning of the word special. He can get to the quarterback better than anyone else who has ever played safety in the NFL could. He set a record for sacks by a defensive back with 9.5 in 2020. But he isn’t that good in coverage.

Per what one AFC defensive backs coach told ESPN

"I love what Jamal brings. But he has limitations. If you put him back covering split safety or the middle third, you’re probably going to have to hide him."

Diggs, however, does almost everything well. Since coming to Seattle midway through 2019, Diggs has had 13 interceptions in 38 games. His 10 over the last two seasons are as many as any other safety in the league. His QBR-allowed in 2021 was a great 63.4. Adams’ was 93.8. Diggs also had 94 tackles last year. Diggs was also given a solid run defense grade (70.4) by Pro Football Focus.

ESPN did admit this:

"Diggs is deserving of a top-10 spot after back-to-back seasons of five interceptions to match his gritty style of play. He simply didn’t garner enough high votes."

My point in this is not to disrespect Adams. I am glad he is with the Seahawks and I think he is a better player than many 12s are believing he is. He does need to stay healthy but now that there is a new and more aggressive defensive coordinator in Seattle, Clint Hurtt, Adams will likely be better used.

Still, at this point, Diggs does more things well than Adams does. Diggs can’t rush the quarterback like Adams but Diggs is much better in coverage. If one of Seattle’s safeties was going to make a top-ten list, it needed to be Diggs and not Adams.