Jamal Adams Has a New Home w/ Ben Arthur

Ben Arthur, AFC South/ NFL reporter joins the show. Ben shares his reaction to the news of how Jamal Adams might fit w/ the Tennessee Titans, how will he fit w/ the Titans, plus much more. 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Jamal Adams has signed a one yeardealer has agreed to sign up and it's
actually done yet, agreed to signa one year deal with the Tennessee Titans.
You remember Jamal Adams. Seahawks cuthim this spring after four tumultuous,
polarizing years in Seattle, to saythe least seventy million dollar contract the Seahawks
had given him. Well, nowhe gets a one year deal, probably
very incentive laden, probably not muchabout the league minimum for veterans with the

(00:24):
Tennessee Titans. Here to talk aboutit Off the barber's chair or the stylist
chair? Which is it? BenArthur, our good friend, former Seawks
beat writer for the Seattle PI nowof Fox Sports from Nashville, Tennessee.
Okay, Ben, level with us, was that a stylist or a barber?
It was a barber. It wasthey got me out. Yeah,
they got me out just in thenick of time. So he from you,

(00:49):
Greg, it has thanks Ben forjoining us freshly shorn. Ben Arthur,
Ben, what is your reaction toJamal Adams and how he might fit
in Tennessee. Yeah, I mean, I think from from the Titans perspective,
I mean, they for as manymoves as they've made, right,
and they were definitely one of themost active teams in free agency. They

(01:11):
made a lot of headlines for that. But they they broke from the offseason
program still needing a lot of depthat safety, and so I didn't really
know what that would look like,but I knew kind of leading into training
camp or early in training camp,but they would they would make a move.
And I think from the Titans perspective, like this move makes makes a

(01:34):
lot of sense for them, notonly because of the depth, but but
I think you look at what JamalAdams can be when when he's healthy,
just in terms of what he cando as as a blitzer, just roaming
around the line of scrimmage. Andthat's what Denard Wilson, the new Titans

(01:55):
DC wants, And obviously they havetheir connection from when they were with the
Jets together that when Jamal Adams wasat his best. And uh, you
know, Dinard is bringing to Tennesseea scheme that's going to be very aggressive.
They're going to have a lot ofpressure packages, They're going to blitz
a lot. Uh. They wantto be able to confuse opposing offenses with

(02:15):
different looks and and and if Jamalcan stay healthy, that's a big if,
right And and we know kind oftumultuous time he had in Seattle,
you know, for the beginning ofit, which I was there in Seattle
for, so you don't know whatyou're getting there. But if he is
available, he could be of atremendous help to this Titans defense. And

(02:36):
I think from a scheme point,as I said, he fits a lot.
So I guess we'll kind of seehow it shakes out. They have
a Moni Hooker, they have ElijahMoulden, they have Mike Brown. Where
do you see Adams starting or isthat still to be determined? Yeah,
I think that's still to be determinedright now. The starter is Elijah Moulden,

(02:58):
who a lot of the who alot of your listeners will will know,
of course, you know, beinghe start at you dub, He's
kind of the starter alongside the moneyhooker right now. But Jamal, I
think from an upside standpoint, ifhe's healthy once again, like I think
he could he ideally he would bethat guy and you could push Elijah mould

(03:21):
into like that number three spot,have him kind of like specialize in those
kind of sub package roles which Ithink, honestly that you would be best
in just given his skill set andhe plays a lot of nickel too,
so so, but but yeah,it kind of depends like, okay,
like what is Jamal? What ishis health? Right, He's missed so
much time over the last several years, Like what, you don't quite know

(03:46):
what you're getting. But but ifyou could prove that availability, I think
he could be the starter alongside ofMoney Hooker for for the Titans. That's
the voice of Ben Arthur of FoxSports. You can read the sports that
the reader's work of the Fox Sportsas he's joining us from Nashville. He
covers the AFC South and specifically theTitans for Fox Sports. Used to be
the Seahawks beat writer Seattle pi At. He left right at the beginning of

(04:10):
Jamal Adams' tenure here after the tradefrom the New York Jets for two first
round picks. Ben, I'm curiouswho is the leader on that defense and
do you see them being accepting ofJamal Adams just because of how things kind
of ended in Seattle. There mightbe a little huh, this is who
you guys are bringing in but althoughwhen he's healthy, as you mentioned Ben,
he can go out there on ball. Yeah. I think the answer

(04:32):
your first question, Chris, theleader is undoubtedly Jeffrey Simmons. He's one
of the He's probably a top threedefensive tackle in the NFL, and he
just rereaks havoc inside. I meanhe's orderline unblockable at times for guards,
interior offensive lineman. So he's beenthe guy, especially since Kevin Byerd,

(04:57):
who's kind of like their longtime starwart in the back end, like playing
safety. Like as soon as heleft, it became Jets defense. So
he's he's really the leader. Willhe fit? I mean, I think
the Titans will make it work again. He has that relationship with Denard Wilson,
the new Titans defensive coordinator. That'swhen Jamal was at his best when

(05:21):
he was with the Jets, andso I think Denard Wilson will know how
to hit the right buttons. Andthis is a really veteran Titans defense in
certain spots. Right, you haveJeffrey Simmons, but you also brought a
Chadovia Woozier who's been to Super Bowlwith the Bengals. You brought in Lugerius

(05:43):
Sneid, who's won a Super Bowl, who's won multiple Super Bowls with the
Chiefs, and so they have thisis this defense has kind of been changing
and the scheme has been changing.But they do have a lot of veteran
players, particularly in the secondary.That's where the strength of this defense is
going to be. And so Idon't foresee Jamal Adams like being an issue.

(06:08):
I think with the guys they havein place, he'll kind of have
to stand in mind, You'll kindof have to be kept in He'll have
to keep himself in check, justbecause I think of the leadership that they
have on the back end. SoI don't think that will be an issue.
Careful, Ben, you don't think, Ben, you don't think Jaman
is going to be an issue?Famous last words around here. Yeah.

(06:32):
Yeah, at the end of theday, you don't. Yeah, you
never know. But Ben, youwere here at the Star, like you
mentioned, you were here when Adamsarrived, and the Seahawks that first year
used him really like a unicorn,playing a safety plan as a linebacker,
playing on the line of scrimmage,blitzing sometimes a third or fourth of the

(06:53):
time nine and a half sacks,a record for defensive backs in the NFL
that first season with Seattle. Thenyou mentioned the injury, and when he
returned from injury, he became apost safety because Pete Carroll didn't trust his
cornerbacks at the time to play presscoverage and he needed safeties over the top
and bracket coverage. How do youthink Denard Wilson, you mentioned how he
would like to have a safety canmove around. Do you see Jamal Adams

(07:15):
having that first year Seattle role ofbeing a line of scrimmage linebacker essentially blitzing
hell of all a time, ordo you think he might have to become
a coverman in Tennessee too. Yeah, I kind of visioned that first year,
like he said Gregan in Seattle,where he was blitzing he was basically

(07:36):
a linebacker roaming around the line ofscrimmage because that's how he was used with
the Jets, right and that's whenhe was with Denard Wilson. And so
I think at this point we allhave a pretty clear idea of what Jamal
adams strengths and weaknesses are, andif you're having to use him in coverage,

(07:56):
that's not a recipe for success.I think in the Titans case,
they have really good cover guys.I mean I talked about a Woozier and
Sneid, but they also have RogerMcCreery. Like between those three they have
a case is kind of the topthree cornerback room in the NFL. They
have some guys who can really coverit and so they're not going to be

(08:20):
asking him to do that. Andat the safety spot, I think a
Moni Hooker and Elijah Molden more sofit that role. I think what they're
kind of expecting from Jamal is tokind of be what he was that first
year in Seattle, what he waswhen he was a star with the Jets,

(08:41):
sticking around the line of scrimmage,kind of confusing teams with kind of
his his alignment and blitzing and allthat. So I would expect for that
to be his primary role with theTitans. Last one for me, August
fourteen and the fifteenth, the Seahawksare in Nashville for a little joint practice.
I will be there, Ben,You're gonna be there. It's gonna

(09:03):
be my sea action. Yes,it will be musty. That will that
will be a lot of fun.I was Yeah, that that should be
a lot of fun. I can'twait for that. So with that being
said, I'm guessing you will.You're gonna be ready to go when DK
and Jamal are going at it inpractice, because I can only imagine there's
gonna be fire between those two.Both guys love to talk. Absolutely absolutely,

(09:26):
It's yeah, it's gonna be that. There's gonna be some feelings on
on both sides for sure, andand I'm just gonna hope I could get
some of it on on tape.So that's kind of what my role will
be in all that. Then theTitans are going through a regime change and
the Seahawks of course have a newcoach and Mike McDonald out here in brand

(09:50):
new regime, all new systems.How new is it in Tennessee? Where
are they in the learning process andright now after rotates in mini camps?
Yeah, I I mean they're Yeah. Like like you said, it's it's
completely different here in Tennessee. Theway Mike Rabel was running the ship is
completely different than how Brian Callahan isdoing it with with Mike Rabel, who

(10:15):
is very much uh kind of defensiveled run game like Derrick Henry right,
But now it's they've completely transformed intoa pass first We're going to pass on
first and second down. What we'regonna make sure Will Levis is getting the
ball to our playmakers. And historicallykind of the Titan strength defensively has kind

(10:43):
of been in the trenches getting pressure. But now it's in the back end.
As I was kind of talking aboutwhen we were discussing Jamal Adams.
Uh, it's that's where their strengthis now, in the secondary. And
so it's kind of been a oneeighty or three six the shift from all
indications, it's gone smoothly to thispoint. Just from my vantage point,

(11:09):
it just seems like people are aroundthe Titans are less uptight, if that
kind of makes sense. That MikeRabel's demeanor, the way he carried himself
like he's very much an alpha personality, right like former NFL linebacker, very
commanding presence. It's kind of myway or the highway. And Brian Callahan,

(11:30):
Brian Callahan is more laid back,I think, more player, a
little more player friendly. Like WillLevis has even mentioned how like with Callahan,
it's the first time he has acoach that feels like a friend,
and so that's definitely a shift herein Nashville, and so we'll kind of

(11:52):
see how it pans out. Butit's been one hundred percent different here and
and they're gonna lean more on analyticsmore. It was definitely more so kind
of like the old school mentality mantrawith with Mike Rabel as the coach and
so pretty much every way that youcan imagine a franchise being different, like

(12:16):
that's kind of what it is nowfor the Titans. And then with Derrick
Henry too being gone, they're notgoing to be running the ball thirty times
a game. They have two runningbacks now, and Tony Pollard and Tajay
Spears who fit kind of like thatpass first mole. They're more of their

(12:37):
backs who are kind of smaller,shiftier, who can also catch the ball
out of the backfield. And soso yeah, it's it's going to be
completely different here for the Titans.Ben Arthur, former Seahawks, be rare
of the Seattle p I now FoxSports in Nashville, Tennessee covers the AFC
South and the Tennessee Titans. Thanksfor joining us, Ben, I will
see you in a month in Nashvillefor about four days. Say hello to

(13:01):
your head coach's dad for me,Bill Callahan. I covered him as the
Raider beat writer when he was thehead coach of Super Bowl coach for the
Raiders. I'll see you in amonth, Ben, thanks a lot.
Sounds good. Greg. Appreciate you, guys. Appreciate you. See you
again in a month. Thanks Ben,