Getty Pete Carroll has listed Bradley McDougald as a potential option after Jamal Adams' surgery.
The Seattle Seahawks will finish out the 2021 season without Jamal Adams in the secondary after he suffered a shoulder injury that will require surgery. The team has multiple options as replacements, including former starter Bradley McDougald.
Head coach Pete Carroll met with members of the media on Wednesday, December 8, to discuss the health of his roster. He confirmed that Adams will require surgery on his injured shoulder and said that the team has considered McDougald as a potential replacement.
“He’s one of the names we went through,” Carroll said during his media availability, per Corbin K. Smith. “We talked about it.” Though Carroll did not indicate that a deal is imminent as the team continues to examine its options.
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McDougald Spent Three Seasons as a Starter in Seattle
Playmaker. BallHawk. However how you describe him, Bradley McDougald just gets the job done.
A former undrafted free agent out of Kansas, McDougald started his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs but finished out his rookie season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McDougald spent three more seasons (2014-2016) in Florida before making the move to the Pacific Northwest.
McDougald signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks in 2017 and became a key part of the defense. He served as a starter for three years and registered 223 combined tackles, five interceptions, and four forced fumbles.
McDougald’s time in Seattle came to an end, interestingly enough, at the same time that Adams came to town. The Seahawks sent McDougald to the Jets as part of the blockbuster trade for Adams that also involved first and third-round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft and a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The veteran only appeared in seven games for the Jets after this deal. He suffered a shoulder injury and ended the year on Injured Reserve. McDougald landed with the Titans for the 2021 season, but he only appeared in two games before the team released him. One of these games took place against his former team in the Seahawks.
A More Likely Option To Replace Adams Is on the Roster
While McDougald is a potential option for the Seahawks due to his experience in the system, he may not be the most likely candidate. Instead, the team could potentially give more opportunities to Ryan Neal.
The defensive back has spent a limited amount of time on the field while serving as an option on dime packages. Neal has registered 23 combined tackles and a sack when given opportunities to contribute, and he spent extra time on the field against the 49ers after Adams suffered the shoulder injury.
“For me, it’s just the same thing, you know, just step in, be accountable for the people around me, be there for my team,” Neal said during his media availability on December 8. “You know, the defense, the coaches, everything. Of course, it’s an opportunity for me, but it ain’t about me.
“It’s about everyone else and how can we keep this thing rolling in the direction that we go it. My whole mindset is to step in, do my job, do it to the best of my ability to help us win games. And that’s just how I’m looking at it.”
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