It wasn't a secret that when the Las Vegas Raiders hired former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, this team's identity was going to start and end on the defensive side of the ball.
And, that's not to say they won't have an offensive identity, because they will -- they are going to run the ball a ton, and use that to set up the pass game down the field. That's what Carroll did in Seattle, and it worked, winning a Super Bowl over the Denver Broncos, and going to another one but losing to the New England Patriots dynasty.
The Raiders are hoping to get that success with Carroll and this new regime. But, like we said, it all starts on the defensive side of the ball. But specifically, it starts with the types of players that Pete Carroll likes to use. You have to have some speed to you, you have to have a high motor, and you have to love football. He's got those types of guys all around the roster, and he just brought another one on.
Carroll and new general manager, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Assistant GM John Spytek, made the decision to bring on former Seahawks and New York Jets safety Jamal Adams. And, that may not sound like the splashiest move in the world, although it would be if it were 2020, but it is a move that provides the Raiders with some depth in the safety room.
Raiders plan to move Jamal Adams to linebacker
This move is not for depth purposes in that position room, but actually for a different one. And Carroll did not hold back and try to hide his plans for a player he once coached.
"Yeah, I told him right off the bat, I want him to play inside," Carroll said at training camp earlier this week. "He's always been so instinctive and so aggressive and such a run-through guy, and he's been a fantastic blitzer over his time. So, I want to put him in a position to do that.
"So, he's jumped right into the WILL spot, and that gives us some flexibility that we're going to grow with. He looks really good. He had a really serious injury a bit ago. He looks like he's back. Weighing a little bit more than he was before, he fit just right. I'm really anxious to see how he takes it."
I'm sure everyone has heard this a million times by now, but this isn't 2020 Jamal Adams -- if it was, then this would be one hell of a move. Then, Adams was one of the best safeties in the league. But he always had coverage issues. Over the years, he has gotten progressively worse, just to tell the truth. That could be because of scheme issues, coaches not putting him in great spots, or even injuries. The former Seattle Seahawks safety under Pete Carroll was once elite.
Moving him inside to be a linebacker who plays the run is probably the best thing for him and the Raiders. The Raiders do need some depth at the safety position, yes, but if it comes to that, who is to say that Adams can't play there? They also need some big-time help in the linebacker room. So, the signing makes a ton of sense.
Having Adams as a guy who can blitz the quarterback and play in the box is what he used to do best. Why not let him do it again, but as a linebacker, now that he is in great shape?
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