It’s incredible what a change of scenery can do for someone like Jamal Adams.
The star safety, who was oh so malcontent in the Meadowlands, got his wish over the summer by all but forcing the New York Jets to trade him away from the dysfunctional dumpster fire that we all see today.
Gang Green found a willing trade partner in the Seattle Seahawks, who offered a king’s ransom in two first-round picks plus a 2021 third-round selection and safety Bradley McDougald. It was just the fifth time in the last 11 years that a team gave up multiple first-round picks for a player.
Of course, the future will provide an opportunity for the scales of this trade to balance more in the Jets’ favor, but right now, the Seahawks are reaping all the rewards.
Adams posted a team-high 11 tackles on Sunday against the New York Giants while adding another sack, improving his season total to 7.5. Since sacks first became an official statistic in 1982, no defensive back in NFL history has posted more than eight in a single season.
Needless to say, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has loved the trade that’s added Adams to his ranks.
“Shoot, ecstatic,” Carroll said. “Ecstatic about it. He’s been everything we could hope for at this point, and he’s going to keep getting better. He played a really good game [Sunday], and he didn’t get to pressure quite as much — they didn’t throw the ball as much — but he had another sack, and he’s a fantastic player. I’m thrilled about the trade.”
On the precipice of a sack record, Adams will have an opportunity to set a new mark on Sunday against the Jets, of all teams — just another indignation heading New York’s way amidst an 0-12 season that is on the verge of increasing to a baker’s dozen-worth of losses this weekend.
It will allow Adam Gase to get another up-close-and-personal look at the player he helped run out of town and how his game is being revolutionized within a competent system.
His ability to get after the quarterback and into the backfield is being utilized rather than an over-dependence on the more traditional role of a pass protector.
His 7.5 sacks are tied for 11th among all defenders in the NFL and are 4.5 more than any other defensive back. He also has more pressures (25) than any other player at his position this season while his eight tackles for loss
