The Las Vegas Raiders needed help at the linebacker position all offseason after the loss of both Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo. They found early replacements like Elandon Roberts and Devin White, but they clearly felt that they still needed reinforcements.
This came in the form of Germaine Pratt, whom the team signed later in the offseason, and Jamal Adams, who was added just before training camp. While Pratt's signing was met with a strong reception, fans were concerned about throwing Adams into the mix.
Adams, however, was a revelation during training camp, and he was able to parlay that into a strong preseason performance against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. Given that the rest of the linebackers failed to stand out, Raider Nation wanted Adams to start getting first-team reps.
Jamal Adams rotating with first-team defense at Raiders practice
Pete Carroll granted that wish during the Raiders' practices this week. According to ESPN's Ryan McFadden, Adams had an impressive pass break-up against quarterback Aidan O'Connell while running with the first-team defense on Sunday.
Later in the week, Raiders.com reporter Levi Edwards also noted that Adams, as well as cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, have begun to rotate in with the first-team defense in certain situations. While he is not a full-time starter yet, it is certainly a start.
Given how late in the process Adams joined the team, it may be a bit before he is fully acquainted with how things are run in Las Vegas. However, Thursday's preseason game proved that he still has a bit of juice to bring to the Raiders, and his instincts are still top-notch.
RELATED: Free agent the Raiders let walk is quietly stealing the show for new team at camp
While Pratt and Roberts are both likely to be locked into the starting lineup, Adams could easily challenge White for the starting outside linebacker job opposite Pratt. His pass-rush ability alone should get him on the field, but he was also stout against the run in Seattle.
There are still joint practices with the San Francisco 49ers, two preseason games and several in-house practices before the Raiders reach Week 1 and need to hone in on their linebacker rotation. However, Carroll recently indicated that position battles could even extend into the season.
Adams was once considered among the best players in the NFL, and he is looking to revitalize his career in Las Vegas. Luckily, he played well enough that it did not take long for Raider Nation to want him on the field more, and it did not take long for Carroll to seemingly make the adjustment.