Perhaps the most confusing aspect about the Seattle Seahawks' otherwise solid offseason was the team re-working Jamal Adams' contract. Prior to doing so, Seattle could have released Adams after 2023 and saved about $9 million. After all, Seattle had no idea when Adams was going to start playing this year or even how long he would stay healthy.
That has been Jamal Adams' main problem, of course: Not staying healthy. He missed all of 2022 after being hurt in Week 1. He returned in 2023 in Week 4 and has only missed one game since. But he certainly doesn't appear to have the same burst as he did prior to 2022.
This could be because he is still working his way back into football shape or that all the injuries he has had over the years have taken a toll and he will never be as explosive as he was in 2020 when he had 9.5 sacks for the Seahawks, setting a record for sacks by defensive back. He is definitely used differently in the Seahawks scheme as he used in blitzes much less than in 2020. But he remains a clear liability in one area.
Jamal Adams has massive problems in coverage
The knock on Adams when Seattle traded for him in 2020 was that while he was a fantastic and unique athlete, he wasn't overly great in coverage. In his Seattle seasons, his lack of ability to cover receivers hasn't been a massive problem because free safety Quandre Diggs has been excellent on the backend of the defense so Adams' flaw hasn't been as exposed as it should have been.
But as Diggs is having the worst season of his career in Seattle statistically, especially in number of interceptions, Adams has had to pick up the slack in coverage. He simply cannot. In eight games in 2023, he has allowed a passer rating when targeted on 106. That is the second-lowest mark of his career after his rookie season in 2017.
Adams has allowed 26 catches on 31 targets for 213 yards. He has allowed only one touchdown reception but that came at the worst possible time against the Dallas Cowboys when Adams got easily beat by Jake Ferguson and the touchdown put the Cowboys ahead and ended up being the game-winning score. Plus, of the 213 yards Adams has allowed, 145 of them are after the catch meaning he is either behind the receiver in their route or he misses an initial tackle. Seattle can no longer afford a strong safety who cannot cover well.