When it comes to the next chapter of Seahawks football, someone who will be looked to as a franchise cornerstone is strong safety Jamal Adams, who is entering his third year in Seattle.

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Adams, a three-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler, signed a lucrative contract extension last offseason after earning second-team All-Pro honors in his first year with the Seahawks. The four-year, $70 million deal came with $38 million guaranteed and makes Adams the highest-paid safety safety in NFL history.

But 2021 was a bit of a disappointment when it came to Adams’ play and production. After being used as an all-around defensive weapon in 2020 and setting a single-season record for sacks by a defensive back with 9.5, Adams was used as a more traditional safety and recorded just four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and no sacks. He did make two interceptions, though, setting a new career high in that mark.

So what’s next for Adams in 2022?

Well, he’ll have a new defensive coordinator for the first time as a member of the Seahawks as Seattle parted ways with Ken Norton Jr. and promoted defensive line coach Clint Hurtt to replace him.

Hurtt joined The Mike Salk Show on Seattle Sports 710 AM Wednesday morning and Adams was one of the many topics discussed. Here’s what Hurtt had to say about what to look for with Adams in the upcoming season.

“Right now the most important thing is him continuing to get healthy like he’s been doing,” Hurtt said.

Injuries have unfortunately played a big part in Adams’ Seahawks tenure as he missed four games in 2020 due to a groin injury and also played through shoulder injuries, one of which required offseason surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder, as well as two broken fingers that also required surgery. In 2021, Adams re-injured his left shoulder, ending his campaign with five games to go as he needed season-ending surgery for another torn labrum.

Aside from health, how much of an adjustment will Adams have to make in Hurtt’s defense?

“Obviously there’s carryover in the scheme. There is some carryover for certain things in it, but there’s a lot of new learning as well,” Hurtt said. ” … I’ve been speaking with him, he’s been speaking with (associate head coach Sean Desai) and (defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott) as well, continuing to learn his stuff and get him up to speed and also in putting him in positions to be successful to be the best version of himself.”

While Adams’ 2021 campaign may have been disappointing to some, Hurtt insists that he got “a lot better” last year.

“We hear all the little talk and stuff like that about these things he has to get better at. Jamal is a guy that’s a workaholic, he pays attention to the details,” Hurtt said. “He got a lot better playing quarter coverage safety last year with those things and now it’s continuing to accentuate what he does great.”

So what are the Seahawks looking to accentuate when it comes to Adams’ play?

“He’s great as an underneath defender, he’s an outstanding run fit defender and tackler and aggressor,” Hurtt said. “Obviously we already know what he is as a blitzer. That comes very natural to him. But it’s just continuing to detail out his coverage responsibilities and whatnot, and he’s putting all his work in on that right now along with getting healthy.”

Listen to the full interview with Hurtt at this link or in the player below.

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