Seahawks Activate Jamal Adams From PUP List

Nearly a year after suffering a torn quad tendon, the Seattle Seahawks will welcome Jamal Adams back into the mix and gradually work him back towards returning to game action.
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Days after coach Pete Carroll projected his return was imminent, Seattle Seahawks star safety Jamal Adams passed his physical on Thursday, clearing the path for him to be activated from the PUP list.

Set to return to the practice field for the first time since suffering a torn quad tendon in Seattle's Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos last September, the team will ease Adams back into action slowly. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Carroll wouldn't commit to the two-time All-Pro defender being available for the regular season opener, indicating he wouldn't be practicing right away and would start with pre-practice walkthroughs.

"That’s a big step for him to go forward, but it isn’t a step that means he’s going to be out practicing yet," Carroll said. "We want to get him in the flow, looking at the weeks we have to build up and looking at the preparation time. He’s ready to do that, and I brought it up to him and he responded really well."

When healthy, Adams has been a difference maker for the Seahawks' defense, including setting an NFL record for defensive backs with 9.5 sacks and earning Second-Team All-Pro honors in his first season with the team in 2020. Though limited to 12 games the following season, he produced 87 tackles and a pair of interceptions, continuing to play at a high level alongside fellow safety Quandre Diggs.

But since being acquired from the Jets for a pair of first-round picks, staying on the field has been problematic for Adams, as the ex-LSU star has missed 25 regular season games in three seasons with various injuries. Before injuring his leg while pressuring former teammate Russell Wilson on a blitz and being carted off the sideline, he underwent surgeries to repair a torn labrum in consecutive offseasons and also had fingers fused.

In addition, Adams missed four games with a groin injury in 2020, making his impressive production as a pass rushing threat all the more impressive.

To safeguard against a prolonged recovery period, the Seahawks signed veteran safety Julian Love in March as not only an insurance policy, but also a running mate to team up with Diggs and a healthy Adams. Though it remains to be seen whether or not he will be ready for the opener against the Rams with less than three weeks until kickoff at Lumen Field, Carroll and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt will be hoping to unleash the trio together in the near future.

Officially activated, Adams will join Jordyn Brooks as the latest star defender to return to action for Seattle. The third-year linebacker came off the PUP list earlier this month after a remarkable recovery from a torn ACL and started practicing in team sessions earlier this week, setting himself up favorably to play in the regular season opener.


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Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.