Good news from our dynamic safety duo

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D-train
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Good news from our dynamic safety duo

Post by D-train » Wed Jun 08, 2022 11:20 am

By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter
RENTON — When we last saw the Seahawks in action, closing out a season-ending 38-30 win at Arizona on Jan. 9, the team’s safeties were Ugo Amadi and Nigel Warrior.

Strong safety Jamal Adams had already been sidelined since December, for the second straight year suffering a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.

And free safety Quandre Diggs left in the fourth quarter of the game, with a broken leg and dislocated ankle leading Seattle with backups at each safety spot as the final defensive snaps on the 2021 season were played.

But Tuesday, when the team opened its mandatory minicamp at the VMAC with a walk-through session, there Diggs and Adams were in their usual spots with the first-team defense.

Neither took part in the full-speed sessions that took place later outdoors. But when they spoke to the media later, each said they expect to be ready when training camp begins in late July.

“That’s the plan,’’ said Diggs, whose injury required surgery performed in Green Bay by noted foot doctor Robert Anderson.

Diggs called it “a blessing’’ to be back on the field Tuesday but also said “it’s five months (since the injury), so it’s right on schedule. I’m feeling good.’’

Adams revealed that he not only had surgery on the labrum on his left shoulder but also had surgery to fuse the two middle fingers on his left hand. Adams demonstrated to reporters that he’ll never be able to fully extend the fingers again

“But you know, it is what it is,’’ Adams said. “For the love of the game.’’

The hope is the surgeries will finally solve chronic injuries he’s had during two seasons with the Seahawks since coming over from the Jets in a trade in July, 2020.

“Been going through that for two years now,’’ Adams said of the fingers. “I mean, my first year when I got here, dislocated my ring finger probably about 10 times and the other one, probably about 12. So I’ve been dealing with that. I didn’t really say much. Let everybody talk about it, whatever. But you know, it’s good now and they’re in trouble.’’

But the combination of the injuries, Adams said, meant “I played with one arm damn near for two years. But that’s no excuse. At the end of the day it was tape it up. Let’s go.’’

But Adams indicated he has no limitations now, saying when asked what he can do on the field “everything.’’

“I’m feeling good,’’ he said. “Just going to take it day to day and obviously be ready for training camp.’’

Both of the team’s star safeties had been away from the team rehabbing in recent weeks as the Seahawks held OTAs (Organized Team Activities).

But each has been taking part in meetings via Zoom, learning the changes to the defense being made by first-year coordinator Clint Hurtt, and specifically the use of more two-high safety looks, meaning each safety lining up deep initially, one on each side.

Each, though, said they are actually already well familiar with it. Diggs said he “ran this exact defense my first three years in the league’’ in Detroit in 2015-17 when the coordinator was Teryl Austin, who was also Seattle’s defensive backs coach under Mike Holmgren from 2003-06.

Adams, meanwhile, said it’s basically the same as the one used by LSU during his college career and with the Jets in his first two years in 2017 and 2018 when Todd Bowles was the defensive coordinator.

Diggs said he likes that the defense is “multiple in different coverages you can run and make it all look alike.’’ Diggs said that should mean that opponents will have a harder time keying on either himself or Adams.

“You can’t tell which safety is in the box, which safety is not in the box,’’ Diggs said.

Seattle had trouble freeing up Adams on pass rushes last year as he went without a sack a year after setting an NFL record for defensive backs by making 9.5 in just 12 games in 2020.


Adams’ 2020 pass-rush success helped lead to Seattle signing him to a four-year contract extension worth $17.5 million last August.

Diggs, meanwhile, signed a new three-year contract in March worth up to $40 million.

The contracts mean Seattle has the fourth highest-paid group of safeties this season but could have the highest-paid in both 2023 and 2024 as the real big money on both deals kick in, and maybe putting even that much more of an onus on the defense maximizing the talents of each player.


Diggs’ new deal came in the wake of a season in which was named to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year, but this time as a starter, after recording five interceptions for the second straight season.

But as he lay on the field in Arizona, injured in what was a meaningless game on the last weekend of the season as he headed into free agency, his future seemed somewhat uncertain.

Better news came a few days later following the surgery, to which he was accompanied by teammate Tyler Lockett, and the projection that he would be healed in four-to-six months.

“Everything happens for a reason,’’ Diggs said. “It sucks that it happened. But I mean, it gives you a newfound respect for the game and it also kind of tells you not to take things for granted. Not saying that I was, but you know, just sometimes God sets you back for a reason. And, you know, my reason could have been just to be able to come back here. Maybe if I was healthy, I wouldn’t (have). But in the grand scheme of things, I’m blessed and I’m happy to be back here.’’
dt

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Donn Beach
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Re: Good news from our dynamic safety duo

Post by Donn Beach » Wed Jun 08, 2022 11:37 am

Adams revealed that he not only had surgery on the labrum on his left shoulder but also had surgery to fuse the two middle fingers on his left hand. Adams demonstrated to reporters that he’ll never be able to fully extend the fingers again

“But you know, it is what it is,’’ Adams said. “For the love of the game.’’
Wow, like Les Paul fusing his elbow in a permanent guitar playing position

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douche
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Re: Good news from our dynamic safety duo

Post by douche » Wed Jun 08, 2022 4:03 pm

Glad we have a rich guy with a Times subscription :D

trharder
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Re: Good news from our dynamic safety duo

Post by trharder » Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:56 pm

Somehow I don't feel reassured.

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D-train
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Re: Good news from our dynamic safety duo

Post by D-train » Thu Jun 09, 2022 10:46 am

douche wrote:
Wed Jun 08, 2022 4:03 pm
Glad we have a rich guy with a Times subscription :D
:D
dt

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