The Las Vegas Raiders completely restructured their roster this offseason, but no position group was changed more than the secondary. Gone now are Tre'Von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs, Jack Jones and Marcus Epps, all of whom started for the team in Week 1 last season.
For the most part, the team found adequate replacements for these players. Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao will hold down the safety spots, and free agent Eric Stokes and third-round pick Darien Porter are expected to start opposite each other at cornerback.
However, Raider Nation has been nervous about the experience of the cornerback room, given that Stokes is the most seasoned player in the group with 45 career games played. So, when the Raiders added a defensive back on Tuesday, it was puzzling to see that they signed a veteran safety.
Raiders sign Jamal Adams in puzzling move before training camp
On Tuesday, the veterans reported to training camp in Las Vegas. With that came an announcement, which is that the Raiders signed veteran safety Jamal Adams, according to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.
This move is a bit puzzling, as Adams is both way past his prime and a known problem in the locker room. He has also had various issues with the press dating back to his time in New York, which goes against John Spytek's emphasis on high-character players.
Adams played for Carroll with the Seahawks for four seasons from 2020 to 2023, but has fallen off a cliff since his departure from Seattle. He only played in five games last season, splitting time with the Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans.
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If the Raiders were planning to sign a veteran player in the secondary, they would have been far better off signing a cornerback like Stephon Gilmore or Mike Hilton.
Instead, they will have to hope that Adams is not past his prime, as he appears to be, and that he can prevent himself from making negative waves in the locker room.
The new regime in Las Vegas has been particularly stout at acquiring players this offseason, but the addition of Adams is puzzling. Adams has not been an All-Pro or Pro Bowl player since 2020, and it is hard to see him turning back into that with the Raiders.