BROCK AND SALK
Huard: Seahawks’ defense has ability to be more creative with Adams
Apr 3, 2023, 10:51 AM
Seahawks safety Jamal Adams celebrates breaking up a pass during the fourth quarter against the 49ers. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Seahawks entered last season with a new defensive play-caller, a new defensive scheme, and high hopes for safety Jamal Adams.
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Adams, a three-time All-Pro, had a lackluster 2021 campaign that ended with a shoulder injury, but it appeared that he would be used more like he was in 2020 when he set an NFL record with 9.5 sacks as a defensive back in Seattle’s new 3-4 defense last year.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks and Adams, the veteran safety suffered a season-ending quad injury in a Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos when Adams blitzed former Seattle QB Russell Wilson.
This offseason, the Seahawks have added safety Julian Love, who started every game for the New York Giants in 2022, on a notable two-year deal in free agency. That obviously led to some speculation as to what that meant for Adams’ future.
During a recent edition of Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard explained what he’s looking for from the Seahawks this season when it comes to the use of their safeties.
He started the conversation talking about Adams.
“Even at the end of last year, not as an excuse nor an explanation, but you did hear (Seahawks defensive coordinator) Clint Hurtt and those guys say, ‘Yeah, once we lost Jamal, we lost some of our playbook, we lost some of what we were going to do, that we had plans to do this season to adapt some of our scheme to be a little bit creative,'” Huard said. “And that was the one area not just in personnel – the Jimmies and the Joes – but the X’s and O’s last year. There just wasn’t a ton of creativity very often.”
Huard said that the Seahawks’ personnel last year was lacking, as evidenced by the defensive linemen the Seahawks have parted ways with remaining unsigned in free agency.
With Love in the mix, though, Huard expects more from the secondary and Adams in 2023.
“The ability to be creative and use big nickel (a defensive formation with three safeties) and play Jamal down where Jamal is best, and that really is a nickel linebacker in his feel for the run game and his ability to tackle near the line of scrimmage.”
Listen to the full discussion in the podcast from Brock and Salk at this link or in the player below.
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