The Seattle Seahawks don’t exactly need more cap space, but if they’re looking for extra spending money in free agency, they could release All-Pro safety Jamal Adams. After making a name for himself with the New York Jets, Gang Green originally sent the safety to Seattle in the 2020 offseason. While he made a Pro Bowl during his first year with the club, the former first-round pick’s tenure in Seattle has been largely disappointing.
Following his Pro Bowl debut, the Seahawks signed Adams to a four-year, $72 million deal just before the 2021 season. After a mediocre 2021, injuries limited him to just 10 games over the past two seasons. Now, with a new head coach, the Seahawks could decide to release Jamal Adams.
If Seattle decided to go down this route, they could free up $18.12 million in cap space. The safety currently carries a $27.9 million cap hit, which is a lot for a non-elite player. Seeing as he’s entering his age-31 season and has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, Seattle could choose to release Jamal Adams, rather than extend him.
Seahawks Could Release Jamal Adams, Should Have FA Interest
At this point in the offseason, some teams have no choice but to release expensive veterans like Jamal Adams. The Seahawks are not technically one of these organizations, as they currently have $16.1 million in cap space. While this isn’t a lot, it’s certainly enough to frugally navigate free agency if they believed Adams was crucial to their success.
Unfortunately, even with Seattle’s relative financial liberty, they’re still probably going to release Jamal Adams. At the end of the day, $27.9 million is too much to justify on an oft-injured safety on the wrong side of 30. Even when Adams has been on the field, he’s not the same player he was at his peak.
However, just because Jamal Adams has slowed down doesn’t mean teams won’t be interested in him after the release. While he’s more of a liability in coverage than he used to be, he can still be an effective box safety. He certainly won’t break the bank this time around, but these five teams could take a gamble on the former All-Pro.
Possible New Teams
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are slowly but surely making their way under the salary cap and should be able to sign a handful of free agents when the league year begins. However, they probably won’t have the financial resources to go nuts on the star players on the open market. With this in mind, they might as well go for the low-risk, high-reward Jamal Adams once the Seahawks release him. Tyrann Mathieu isn’t getting any younger, and Marcus Maye could be released for cap space. Adams is a perfect fit for the strong safety role and should add a punishing element to this defense.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots love safeties, and they love buying low on former first-round picks amid a down stretch. While not every investment pays off, this beneficial risk-reward system was responsible for some of the best signings of the past 25 years. Even though Bill Belichick is gone, most of the front office remains, so this team could easily bring in Jamal Charles after his eventual release.
Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh has to do a lot of work to fix the Chargers defense, and it starts with building a tougher, more physical unit. Harbaugh is an old-school coach who believes in hard-hitting football in the trenches, and Adams is made for that style of play. Once the Seahawks release him, Harbaugh could try to make Jamal Adams his new Donte Whitner.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are currently working on Justin Simmons’ contract, and while an extension is most likely, there is a chance the team will cut him. Simmons is a fantastic all-around safety, and Jamal Adams won’t be a 1:1 replacement in the unlikely event of a release. However, he could play in the box and help deliver hard blows for a defense that struggled against the run last year.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have a remarkably young roster and could use some veteran leadership. With Darnell Savage likely to depart in free agency, Jamal Adams could be an ideal signing after the Seahawks release him. Additionally, his ability against the run will come in use against former first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs twice per season.
Main Photo: Tim Heitman – USA Today Sports
