For the first time in his career, Jamal Adams participated in an NFL playoff game when the Seattle Seahawks hosted the Los Angeles Rams on NFL Super Wild Card Weekend. It didn't end as he had hoped though, with the Rams walking away with a 30-20 victory at Lumen Field and despite a mountain of uncertainty at quarterback. It was backup John Wolford who eventually got the start, but a shoulder from Adams to the head of Wolford knocked the 25-year-old out of the game early -- resulting in a trip to the hospital for further evaluation -- leading to Jared Goff taking over and landing the victory despite playing with a fractured thumb.
As it turns out, Adams himself was playing through injury, and several of them, which will reportedly require surgery to correct. The All-Pro safety is said to have played through a torn labrum in his left shoulder and broken fingers on his left hand, along with an issue in his right shoulder that will also require a procedure this offseason, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. The timetable for his recovery is undetermined.
It was the Seahawks defense that kept the Rams in check for most of the game on Saturday, while Russell Wilson and the offense was ultimately bullied into submission, leading to a burnt out defense that got exploited by running back Cam Akers and a late-game touchdown from Goff. Adams didn't contribute much by way of tackles, logging just two combined tackles on the day, but he had three key pass breakups that also helped fire up his compatriots. He'll enter the offseason with plenty to discuss with the Seahawks, however, especially considering his latest round of injuries add to the fact he's been dealing with durability issues at several points during the 2020 season -- ultimately missing a career-high four games.
Having acquired him from the New York Jets via blockbuster trade that included Seattle giving up two first-round picks, Adams is under contract through 2021 by virtue of his fifth-year option, but set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2022. The Seahawks would like to secure him to a long-term deal as soon as possible, and Adams made it clear in July that his plan is "to retire" in Seattle, although that also included him tabling contract talks until further notice. His rash of injuries this season will undoubtedly become a talking point going forward, even if it's simply to scale back his asking price.
But while that's being worked out, assuming the topic of an extension is even broached in 2021, Adams must now focus on nursing himself back to full health with the hopes of being available for the Seahawks offseason programs -- his first-ever playoff stint ending after only one game.
