Seahawks’ new plan: Keep Jamal Adams out one more game, bring him back next week vs. 49ers
The Seahawks will be without their All-Pro in the back of their defense. Again.
Jamal Adams is out for undefeated Seattle’s first NFC West test of the season Sunday night at Arizona (4-2). The team announced Friday their 24-year-old star safety will miss his third consecutive game because of a strained groin.
So Seattle (5-0) will be without their most effective blitzer and pass rusher against speedy Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. Adams co-leads the Seahawks with two sacks even though he hasn’t played in a month.
Coach Pete Carroll said following the team’s indoor practice Friday the plan is for Adams to play next week, Nov. 1, when the Seahawks host San Francisco. It would be his first game since Sept. 27, when he got hurt in the fourth quarter of Seattle’s win over Dallas.
“He’s really close. We want to make sure and get it right,” Carroll said.
“The consensus is it’s better to wait until next week. I anticipate that he will be practicing next week.”
Ryan Neal, until last month a three-year practice squad player, will make his third career start Sunday.
It will come against Murray, Kenyon Drake and the recently soaring Cardinals. Arizona isn’t positive it will have their All-Pro wide receiver will join them again. DeAndre Hopkins is questionable to play. He has an ankle injury.
The Cardinals are coming off a short week following their 38-10 win at Dallas Monday night.
Time for Jordyn Brooks’ speed.
Doctors have cleared the rookie linebacker and first-round draft choice to play for the Seahawks Sunday night. Brooks sprained his knee in his first career start, Sept. 27 against Dallas. The linebacker hasn’t played since.
Though Carroll refused to say, Brooks is likely to take Cody Barton’s place at weakside linebacker with K.J. Wright remaining at strongside where the 10th-year veteran has excelled since Bruce Irvin’s season-ending knee injury.
“He really had a great week. He looked full speed. He is definitely going to play in this game,” Carroll said of Brooks.
He added the rookie is likely get a considerable amount of playing time Sunday night.
Carroll said the fact Brooks is a rookie and is coming off a sprained knee does not mean he can’t handle chasing Murray with the quarterback’s elite speed.
“No. He’s ready to play,” Carroll said. “Really, he had a fantastic week. I’m really excited about him coming back and helping our defense out. He has, like you are saying, he’s really fast. He’s got great instincts. He’s a tough hitter; he had a couple great hits during this week in practice just working to get himself back in.
“So he’s ready to go.”
The only other Seahawk on the injury report for Sunday night’s game coming out of the team’s bye week is starting left guard Mike Iupati. The 33-year-old veteran is questionable with a back injury.
Carroll said Iupati had a “tough” week trying to practice.
It sounds as though Jordan Simmons will start. The Seahawks are good with that; Simmons has impressed coaches for years as a dependable fill-in starter at both left and right guard.
Carroll said former All-Pro defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison will remain on the practice squad and not make his Seahawks debut at Arizona. He hasn’t played in 10 months, and is still trying to get into playing shape over signing with Seattle 2 1/2 weeks ago.
Carroll said this week the team won’t push Adams back to play, essentially saying it is more important to have him in November, December and January than in October.
Asked what more information he is seeking regarding Adams’ injury, Carroll said, flatly, “whether he’s full speed or not.”
The coach said Adams has not had a setback.
Seattle’s games after Sunday at Arizona: home to defending NFC champion San Francisco (3-3), at AFC East-leading Buffalo (4-2), at the division-rival Los Angeles Rams (4-2) and back home against the Cardinals on a short week for a Thursday night game.
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 1:39 PM.
