The Detroit Lions have signed former All-Pro and Pro Bowl Safety Jamal Adams. ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news on Sunday afternoon.
Adams will join the Detroit Lions practice squad with an eye on eventually climbing onto the active roster.
Per sources, Adams had been waiting for a playoff contender to contact him, and the Lions ticked that box.
Adams joins a Lions team in disarray with a slew of injuries. Following their win over the Chicago Bears, Detroit suffered season-ending injuries to Malcolm Rodriguez and Mekhi Wingo. Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike also sustained injuries in that game.
Those season-ending injuries caused more woe for the Lions, who have already lost Derrick Barnes, Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Ifeatu Melifonwu, John Cominsky, and Ennis Rakestraw for various periods.
Carlton Davis is day-to-day, Brodric Martin has not stepped on the field yet, and Emmanuel Moseley recently experienced a setback in his comeback attempt.
The Lions have brought in reinforcements aplenty. Adams is another one.
What Are the Detroit Lions Getting in Adams?
Selected in Round One by the New York Jets in 2017, Adams is only 29 years old. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, twice Second-Team All-Pro, and once First-Team All-Pro, Adams has plenty of experience behind him.
Aaron Glenn may view Adams as the answer for the Box Safety role or a defender to play at the second level. Ifeatu Melifonwu played the Box role superbly last season but has been unable to get on the field this season. Adams is a terrific blitzer, infamous for crashing through gaps and sacking quarterbacks. Adams has 21.5 career sacks, including a single-season high of nine sacks in 2020.
Moreover, Adams can trigger downhill quickly and blow up run plays. This is an area where he could fill for Malcolm Rodriguez. Rodriguez was one of the best run-stopping linebackers in the league. His wrestling background gave him an excellent foundation in tackling. While Adams will not be a like-for-like replacement for Rodriguez, there are similar traits he could provide.
The former Seattle Seahawk may not debut this week against the Green Bay Packers due to a necessity for learning the playbook and defense. And one last thing to check is Adams’ health. A hip injury saw Adams play 20 snaps for the Tennessee Titans before being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list.