Seahawks activate safety Jamal Adams from PUP list
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 10: Jamal Adams #33 of the Seattle Seahawks before the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field on August 10, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
RENTON, Wash. - Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams was activated from the physically unable to perform list after passing a physical with the team on Thursday.
Adams has been out since last year's season opener against the Denver Broncos when he sustained a torn quadriceps tendon in his left leg on a near sack of Russell Wilson.
Head coach Pete Carroll indicated that Adams was nearing a return on Tuesday when he spoke after practice.
"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. I think tomorrow or the next day we’ll get that done."
That day finally came on Thursday.
As the team has done with the returns of tight end Noah Fant, cornerback Riq Woolen and linebacker Jordyn Brooks from the PUP list, Adams would first get the chance to get on the field for walkthrough practices before taking another step forward to participate in practices. H
"It's a good step for him as he's preparing to get back," Carroll said. "These weeks, they go by quickly now, and if he would have continued to stay on PUP, he wouldn't be able to get any of our football work, so he'll jump into the routine, like we've been doing with our guys, of walkthroughs and things like that, so that he can start to break the huddle with the fellas and make the calls and get aligned and make adjustments and all that, and get his mind rolling in that direction. This is a good time for him to pop back. He's ready to go, he's working really hard."
Carroll said that they will not rush Adams in an attempt to get him back for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams on September 10. If his recovery takes longer, then so be it.
"That pressure does not exist," Carroll said. "I don’t feel that. We’ll work with him, the doctors, the trainers, and all that. That’s what’s important to me. I don’t care it is. When he gets back, I just want him to feel right, confident and believe in the process that got him here. We’re not going to rush him at all.>
Adams was named to the Pro Bowl and set an NFL record for sacks by a defensive back with 9.5 during his first season with Seattle in 2020. He appeared in 12 games for the Seahawks in 2020 and 2021 with injuries forcing to miss a few games each year with 83 and 87 tackles, respectively, in those seasons.
Seattle has the flexibility to be cautious with Adams' return due to the presence of Julian Love at safety as well. The Seahawks will likely use all three safeties – Adams, Love and Quandre Diggs – at times this season as well.
"I know it means something to him," Carroll said. "He’s such an engaging personality and he’s such an outgoing personality on the football field that he has no way to express that with us. That’s part of the reason I want him back in there so he can get comfortable and our guys can get to know him. Some of the guys don’t know him or what he’s like. He’s going to help them. He’s a guy that makes other guys play better around him, so I just think all of this is for all the right reasons."
By activating Adams from the PUP list, it takes away the possibility of leaving him on the list to begin the season. Once a player passes a physical, he becomes ineligible to return to the PUP list. So be activating him, Adams will need to be on the active 53-man roster during roster cuts.
The decision to activate Adams now would seem to indicate that the team is confident he will be ready to play within the first four weeks of the season. Any player that begins the year on the PUP list has to miss at least the first four games before being eligible to return.
The team did not hold a walkthrough ahead of practice on Thursday so Adams has yet to rejoin his teammates on the field. That will come next week after Saturday's preseason finale against the Green Bay Packers.
Notes:
– Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had surgery to address a fractured bone in his wrist this week. Carroll said they didn't have any more clarity on a recovery timeline, but that the surgery went well.
"I haven’t heard anything since the surgery other than that what they initially said, that everything went great," he said. "They showed us pictures and all that kind of stuff so we saw that. It’s an elaborate surgery for such a small crack in the area, it’s going to be so safe. We’re really pleased with it and so is he."
– Carroll didn't have any update on whether wide receiver Dareke Young was going to need surgery on the injury to his adductor muscle. Additionally, Carroll didn't have any update on the recovery of rookie defensive tackle Mike Morris after having a shoulder procedure earlier this week.
– Cornerback Devon Witherspoon is expected to return to practice next week after missing all three preseason games with a hamstring strain.
– Outside linebacker Darrell Taylor is still recovering from a shoulder injury from early in camp. Carroll believes he'll return to practice at some point next week.
"He feels really good, made a big jump in the last few days," Carroll said. "I would think he’s got a chance to start really doing some stuff next week, that’s what we are kind of counting on. We are hoping we can get there."
– Center Joey Hunt (knee), safety Jonathan Sutherland (calf), wide receiver Cody Thompson are unlikely to play in the game against the Packers on Saturday. Center Olu Oluwatimi (elbow), and wide receivers Matt Landers (groin) and Cade Johnson (concussion) are expected to play.