When Seattle Seahawks hard-hitting safety Jamal Adams blasted former teammate Russell Wilson on a blitz Monday night, the collision left him with the worst outcome.
Adams limped off the field and was carted off the field to the locker room. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll announced it’s a serious quadriceps injury. It’s believed to be a torn left quadriceps tendon, which would end his season.
“His quadricep tendon I think got damaged some tonight,” Carroll said. “He got hurt. So, it’s a serious injury.”
How the Jamal Adams trade is working out for the Seahawks and Jets
This marks the latest setback for Adams and the Seahawks since one of the more lopsided trades in NFL history unfolded two years ago.
When the New York Jets traded Adams and a fourth-round draft pick to the Seahawks on July 25, 2020, the Seahawks exchanged safety Bradley McDougald, first-round and third-round draft picks in 2021, and a 2022 first-round selection.
It was a king’s ransom.
Although Adams — a pure strong safety — had 9 1/2 sacks in his first season and was named to his third Pro Bowl, the trade has gone in a reverse direction since the Seahawks rewarded him with a four-year, $72 million deal that included a $20 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed and made him the highest paid safety in the league at the time.
He tore his labrum last season against the San Francisco 49ers and was placed on injured reserve. Now, Adams is sidelined again, and the trade looks even worse now, especially after trading a pair of first-round draft picks.
Adams’ durability has also been an issue. He has missed nine games in two seasons, and now he’s hurt again.
Under contract through 2025, Adams’ injury comes on the heels of the Seahawks trading away Wilson to the Denver Broncos.
A former fifth overall pick, Adams has just two interceptions in two seasons with the Seahawks. He missed nine games, one more than his total of eight passes defensed.
Although Adams is an outstanding blitzer, he’s paid to cover, too. Last year, he had two interceptions, but opposing quarterbacks had a 93.8 passer rating against him as he allowed four touchdown passes. He had a 103.4 passer rating against him in 2020, as quarterbacks completed almost 78 percent of their throws in his area.
Adams was hopeful heading into this season, telling a reporter: “I’m back in my element, man. I feel like I’m back playing defense.”
“It sucks, man,” Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs said. “This guy’s had a hell of a camp, he’s had a hell of offseason, and you hate to see it, especially with Jamal being one of my closest friends. It’s tough. We kind of had the same offseason where it was just rehab and trying to get back to be the leaders of this team and the leaders of this defense.
“It’s just hard to imagine. You go out there and you always have that doubt, like ‘Am I ready? Am I ready to go?’ And then you got there just let it loose. It sucks the way it happened, and it sucks for him personally, because I know how much work he put in this past offseason and I know mentally he was in great space. He was the most comfortable he’s been around here. It just sucks to see. I love him.”
As for the Jets, they used the 2021 first-round draft pick to draft offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, and they used the 10th overall pick in 2022 to draft promising former Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
The Jets’ haul landed them a young wide receiver with speed and upside and an offensive lineman who is, at least, solid.