Former New York Jets Defensive Star Set to Sign With Detroit Lions

A former star of the New York Jets defense has reportedly found a home with a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

Sep 22, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans safety Jamal Adams (33) sneaks a peak into the backfield at Nissan Stadium. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The near two-month stretch of unemployment for former New York Jets safety Jamal Adams appears to be an at end, as his agent confirmed to ESPN that Adams will sign a deal with the Detroit Lions.

Per the report, Adams will sign a practice squad contract to get in shape so he can be called up to the active roster at some point.

The Lions are the best team in the NFC and are trying to nail down the playoff bye, which would allow them to host all of their playoff games at Ford Field. The Super Bowl contenders reached the NFC Championship Game last season before losing to San Francisco.

Earlier this season the Tennessee Titans granted Adams his release after the veteran requested it when he only appeared in three games.

At the time, the Jets were without safety Chuck Clark, who was on injured reserve. There was some thought the Jets might re-sign him, but that did not happen. Adams did play against New York when Tennessee hosted the Jets in Week 2.

Now, Adams’ patience has been rewarded with a chance to help the Lions reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.

Adams was the Jets’ No. 6 overall pick of the 2017 NFL draft, and the LSU product made an immediate impact. In three seasons with New York he earned one first team All-Pro selection and one second-team All-Pro selection. He was also named to the Pro Bowl twice and earned Pro Football Writers Association all-rookie team mention in 2017. He should have been a stalwart of the Jets’ defense for years to come.

But in 2019 his name came up with trade talks at the deadline and Adams admitted that hurt him, given the quality of his play in New York.

In 2020, it led Adams to stay out of voluntary and organized team activities even as the Jets picked up the fifth-year option on his contract. He asked for and finally got a trade to Seattle, a deal that included several draft picks, one that led to the Jets selecting wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

Adams was a second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection again for Seattle in 2020. He then signed a four-year deal with Seattle with a $20 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed, which made him the highest paid safety in NFL history at the time.

After a solid 2021, he tore a quad tendon in the first game of the 2022 season and spent the entire year on injured reserve.

Last season he had 48 tackles and two passes defended before the Seahawks released him in the offseason. A hip injury limited Adams to just 20 snaps in three games with the Titans after he signed a one-year contract with Tennessee in July.