Pete Carroll is back coaching in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders. So why does it feel like he's trying to relive his glory days with the Seattle Seahawks? Already, the Raiders picked up Geno Smith to quarterback Carroll's offense. Now, they've signed Jamal Adams as veteran depth in the secondary.
Adams visited Las Vegas on Tuesday and is expected to join the Raiders as a free agent, per Jordan Schultz.
Depending on the value of the deal, which we don't yet know, this could turn out to be a savvy move to buy low on a talented but often-injured veteran. Mostly though, it reeks of living in the past. Adams hasn't been worth his salt in five years. Yes, he's had injuries hold him back, but that's part of the problem. He'll turn 30 years old in October. The chances of him suddenly turning in a fully healthy season are slim.
Pete Carroll's reunion with Jamal Adams
Carroll's attempt to get the band back together is all the more head-scratching because the players he's brought in weren't even part of his true glory days. He didn't win a playoff game with Adams or Smith on Seattle's roster. Despite his Super Bowl success, the final years of Carroll's years with the Seahawks had fans wondering if the game might be passing him by. The trade to bring in Adams and the record contract he received were disasters and created significant dents in Carroll's regime.
Can the Raiders trust Adams to accept a depth role? Can they expect him to mentor the young DBs on the roster? I just don't see how this has a fairytale ending.
Camp has already gotten off to a rough start for the Raiders with Christian Wilkins' availability in question. This isn't a move that'll spark too much excitement.
Adams most recently played two games for the Lions in 2024 after starting the campaign with the Titans. However, the bulk of his once-promising career was spent with Carroll in Seattle. After an All-Pro campaign with the Jets in 2019, a contract dispute saw him traded to the Seahawks in 2020. He was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro that year but it was downhill from there. He started 12 games in 2021 before tearing his labrum. The next season he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1. He started nine games in 2023 then was released.