Raiders GM reveals how they will play safety Jamal Adams

The addition of safety Jamal Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders is a bit surprising given his injury history, but the Raiders brass is keeping their fingers crossed hoping the three-time Pro Bowl safety can stay healthy.

In an interview with Raider Nation Radio 920 AM on Wednesday, Raiders general manager John Spytek revealed Adams will "play probably a little closer to the line of scrimmage than a true safety."

It is not surprising Spytek would say such a thing since Adams played like a hybrid linebacker for head coach Pete Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks.

In Seattle, Adams played 34 games for Carroll, including one game in 2022 due to a quad injury in the season opener against the Denver Broncos. He only played nine games in his final season with Carroll and the Seahawks in 2023 before joining the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions last season.

The 29-year-old Adams is entering his ninth season after he was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. If Adams can stay healthy, it could turn out to be a great thing for the Raiders since they need a playmaker and veteran leadership on the field.

Spytek's words seem to indicate Adams will have a role when the season gets underway against the New England Patriots on Sept. 7. It will not be surprising if Adams gets a lot of reps during the preseason to see if he can stay healthy.

For the Raiders' sake, they better hope they get the early version of Adams, who had 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Seahawks in 2020 - an NFL record for a defensive back.  Spytek and Carroll are banking on Adams to remain healthy for the Raiders and give the team another threat on the defensive side to complement star pass rusher Maxx Crosby.