Three-time Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams is still looking for a new NFL home, and one NFL analyst believes that the Baltimore Ravens are the best fit for the former first-round pick. Once considered one of the best all-around safeties in the game, Adams is now entering his age-29 season following years of injury and subpar performances in coverage. While he is something of a limited player at this stage in his career, Adams remains a reliable threat against the run game, and Matt Holder of Bleacher Report believes that Baltimore should bring him in.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens could use a Swiss-army knife type of player on the second level of their defense. The Ravens lost athletic linebacker Patrick Queen in free agency and are expected to start second-year pro Trenton Simpson in Queen’s spot.
Holder’s argument for the Ravens signing Jamal Adams rests on him playing a pseudo-linebacker role. This makes sense, as Adams is at his best working near the line of scrimmage. Baltimore lost several key players in free agency and couldn’t possibly replace them all in one offseason. Most teams would struggle to replace a player as good as Patrick Queen, but Baltimore already has a better linebacker in superstar Roquan Smith. Rather than going after another top player at the position, the Ravens could ask Adams to unofficially change positions.
The Ravens already brought in the Pro Bowler for a free agent visit, so they’re interested in what he can bring to the table. At 6′-1″ and 213 pounds, Jamal Adams is slightly undersized to be a full-time linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. By comparison, Queen measures in at 6′-0″ and 230 pounds. Perhaps Adams can add a few pounds of muscle to his frame, but it’s hard to envision him putting on 15-20 pounds at this point in his career. If Baltimore signs him, he probably won’t be anything more than a role player.
Replacing Patrick Queen won’t be easy, but he’s not the only major contributor to depart over the past few months. Following his breakout campaign, safety Geno Stone signed a massive contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens have two reliable starters in Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams, but Jamal Adams could provide some depth for these two. Nobody uses more three-safety looks than Baltimore, which means Adams should find a path to the field.
It’s important to note that the Ravens should not use Jamal Adams as a 1:1 replacement for Geno Stone. Stone is at his best patrolling the deep part of the field in coverage, and that’s where Adams is at his worst. If the Ravens want to use Adams as a safety, they’ll need to use him exclusively as Kyle Hamilton’s backup. At this point in his career, Adams should embrace his role as a pseudo-linebacker, add some muscle, and work on being a physical presence in the run game. If the Ravens want to add another safety, they should try to free up some money for a do-everything star like Justin Simmons, or perhaps see if Patrick Peterson is willing to be a full-time safety.
Main Photo: Tim Heitman – USA Today Sports
