Jamal Adams Finds New Home With Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions made a move Sunday, bringing in former All-Pro Safety Jamal Adams. Adams was granted his release from the Tennessee Titans in late October after signing a one-year contract with the team in the offseason. It’s not surprising that the Lions would make this move with the injuries piling up for the league’s best team.

Adams will join the practice squad with opportunities to be elevated to the roster. What will his role be with the team? How will he fit into an Aaron Glenn defense? Could this be a significant signing for the team from Detroit seeking their first Super Bowl appearance?

Jamal Adams Signs With Lions

Jamal Adams has been a free agent since asking for his release from the Tennessee Titans after only 20 snaps with the team. Adams grew frustrated with his lack of playing time with the Titans after signing with the team to reunite with Defensive Coordinator Dennard Wilson, who was his Defensive Backs Coach in New York when the team selected Adams in the 2017 draft.

Let’s be honest: going from the Titans to the Lions would be similar to sitting on the loser wall at the dance to leaving with the Prom Queen herself. Adams now has the chance to be back with the “cool kids” and get a feel for the team before their playoff run.

The Detroit Lions are sitting pretty at the top of the NFC with an impressive 11-1 record, winning a franchise-high ten games in a row. This is the first time in their history that they have won double-digit wins in back-to-back seasons. Even with the best record in football, the Lions have hit the injury bug more often than any other team in the league.

They currently have close to 20 players on injury reserved adding linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez to the list after the Thanksgiving game against the Bears. Fans may have been too distracted by Matt Eberflus’ clock management debacle at the end of the game to realize Rodriguez’s season-ending knee injury earlier in the game.

Jamal Adams Career

Jamal Adams was selected 6th overall out of LSU by the New York Jets. He would play for the Jets for three seasons, making the Pro Bowl 2 out of 3 years, excluding his rookie season. The Pro Bowler would then be traded to the Seattle Seahawks and be named an All-Pro in his first year out west. Adams would play for the Seahawks for four seasons before getting released prior to the 2024 season.

This is where the safety would sign with the Titans in the offseason as a free agent, but realize Tennessee wasn’t a great fit for the veteran. In seven seasons in the NFL, Adams has 4 career interceptions and 21.5 career sacks. Adams could have a significant role with the Detroit Lions, who have been hit with injury after injury, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Final Thoughts

The Detroit Lions are not asking for Jamal Adams to play like he did in his All-Pro seasons. Adams simply has to step in and do a decent to good job in his role. This is such a low-risk, high reward, for a team that is absolutely rolling at the moment. The Lions are currently the Super Bowl favorites going into week 13 for the first time in team history.

Every single week, it seems like this Detroit Lions team is breaking NFL or team records. Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn has been a mastermind, confusing offenses and causing turnovers all year. A veteran like Adams is just what this injury-ridden team needs. Don’t be surprised if Brad Holmes brings in a few other veteran free agents to bridge the injury gap. Lions fans should be able to trust the General Manager in bringing in not only talented players but also players who embody and embrace the culture.