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13 hours ago
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Due to his decline in recent years, the free-agent signing of Jamal Adams by the Las Vegas Raiders was very much poo-pooed when it was first announced.
However, Adams, who is making a position switch to linebacker, has apparently stood out early on, at least in the eyes of Sports Illustrated's Hondo Carpenter.
“We’re going to talk about Jamal Adams, who I think has really shocked me” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“Pete Carroll went a little bit mad scientist here and [gave] him a look at linebacker, and I think it’s already clear he’s the best coverage linebacker on this Raiders team… I think Jamal Adams has had a great camp,” Carpenter concluded.
Countless analysts have pointed out over the years that Adams would be a good fit at linebacker, especially as he gets up there in age. Adams has always been a strong run defender and an effective blitzer, two traits that are key for linebackers.
What makes Adams more intriguing at the position is the fact that he has extensive experience covering pass-catchers. Nobody has ever pegged him as elite in that area, but his experience should help nonetheless.
"Yeah, I told him right off the bat, I want him to play inside," head coach Pete Carroll said of Adams' position switch. "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," Carroll added. "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."
Historically, neither of the Raiders' projected starting linebackers, Germaine Pratt and Elandon Roberts, have been good in that area, so that gives Adams another possible avenue to see work.
If Adams can stay healthy and continue to take well to the position switch, there is absolutely a world in which he is a major contributor in Las Vegas in 2025, which could help his resurrect his career after multiple down years.
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