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Brady HendersonESPN
SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks won’t know if they’ll have All-Pro strong safety Jamal Adams for Saturday’s wildcard game with the Los Angeles Rams until match day, according to coach Pete Carroll.
Adams hurt his left shoulder on Sunday in the fourth quarter of the Seattle regular season finale against the San Francisco 49ers. He returned for a moment, then finished the match on the sidelines. Carroll said after the game that the first word from the Seahawks’ medical staff was that Adams could play this weekend, but he seemed to let go of that initial optimism on Tuesday.
“He’s going to work all week and see what he can do and see if he’s okay,” Carroll said Tuesday, just before the Seahawks’ first practice of the week. “We’ll have to wait until game day to find out.”
Adams, acquired in a blockbuster deal with the New York Jets last summer, led the Seahawks with 9.5 sacks in the regular season, an NFL record for a defensive back. That was despite missing four games with a groin injury. He returned in week 9 and a week later sustained an injury to his right shoulder that he played through, in addition to two broken fingers on his left hand.
After the Seahawks secured a berth in week 15, Adams shouted excitedly during his post-game video conference that he was heading to the playoffs for the first time in his career. He lit a victory cigar for the camera after the Seahawks defeated the Rams 20-9 for the NFC West title a week later.
“He hasn’t been to the playoffs and he wants to be a part of it and all, so it kind of crushed him,” Carroll told 710 ESPN Seattle on Monday when talking about Adams’ latest shoulder injury. ‘He’s very emotional and stuff, and he’s going to do something about it. We will see what happens [Monday] and for the next few days see how he feels and everything. But he got hurt, and he took it, wanted to go back in. We had to take his helmet off and all that from the sidelines because he wanted to fight his boys. So we’ll see what happens. I can’t tell you now. I do not know.”
An All-Pro in 2019, Adams was recently named in his third straight Pro Bowl.
Ryan Neal took over with strong safety when Adams was injured against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, sealing Seattle’s victory with an interception from Dak Prescott in the end zone. The undeveloped free agent of 2018 started the next four games and got another interception.
“We have a lot of faith in Ryan because of the way he played,” said Carroll. “… He showed us that he plays really hard, he’s tough, he’s a playmaker, he’s very aggressive in his playing style. … so he’s ready to go when we need him and we will like to do that play him. “
Carroll also said the defensive tackle Jarran Reed feels “much better” than he was on Sunday after the game after using his tilt. Carroll called this cause for optimism.
“We will be very careful with him during the week and see how he fares from day to day,” said Carroll.
Additionally, Carroll said he expects Carlos Hyde to return this week after missing the 49ers game with a non-COVID-19 related illness. And rookie defensive end Darrell Taylor practiced for the first time on Tuesday; the second round of the Seahawks was on the list of non-football injuries all season due to a college leg injury.