Something Special: Matthew Adams Looks to Anchor Giants’ Special Teams

New York Giants LB Matthew Adams has a reputation as a special teams ace and should make an early impact in 2024.

Jul 25, 2024; East Rutherford, NY, USA; New York Giants outside linebacker Matthew Adams (49) looks on during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. / Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants went out this offseason and brought in one of the best special teams players in the NFL in linebacker Matthew Adams.

Adams, who famously showed up to a tam meeting fully decked out in pads on the day the Giants were set to hold their first padded practice of the summer, entered the NFL as a seventh round draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, where he crossed paths with future Giants teammate Bobby Okereke, also a linebacker. 

The 6-0, 230-pounder played four seasons for the Colts before moving to the Bears in 2022 and the Browns last season.

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He has appeared in 85 games with 13 starts, having racked up 98 career tackles (68 solo), 8 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, and two quarterback hits.

But it’s his special teams play that has helped keep Adams fed. In 2023, he had the fifth-most special teams tackles in the NFL. And now he’s looking to plant himself as a core special teams player here with the Giants, with whom he signed a one-year $1.292 million contract with $967,500 guaranteed in the off-season.

Adams is just as enthusiastic about the game today as he was as a rookie, but he’s also very focused in his approach.

“It’s a checklist,” he said of his approach to each practice. “The consistency throughout camp, it’s a checklist for the Giants staff and for me as well. I’m still bringing the energy, juice, and excitement every day. I love to compete.”

In Adams, the Giants are not only getting a potential core special teamer, they’re getting someone who can also contribute on defense, which would increase his overall value.

His name hasn’t been mentioned much in daily camp reports, but that doesn’t mean that Adams hasn’t had a solid training camp. He has rotated in as both an off-ball linebacker and edge rusher, depending on the situation, his likely role being a rotational piece on defense.   

“I’ve been putting time on task, learning the scheme and trying to see the defense out of my coaches’ eyes and how they want it run,” he said. “You’ve just gotta hone in on your keys and eye discipline with teams that like the motions, trick formations, trick shifts and all that stuff. It’s all eye candy at the end of the day.”

The Giants offense has been using motion frequently in practice so far and the defense has spoken multiple times about the benefits for when they face teams that use motion.

Playing time defensively has been inconsistent for Adams so far, playing significant snaps early in his career before taking a more rotational role the past two seasons. But if that’s the role the coaches want for him, Adams said he’s fine that so long as it gets him on the field. 

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