It would be easy to chalk up the 2022 season as out-of-the-norm for the Seattle Seahawks. 

And in many ways, it was. But for Seattle to surprise the NFL, again, building off last season's success, it means that the often-injured Jamal Adams must have a bounce-back player of the year type of season in 2023. 

Daunting. 

Adams has faced back-to-back injury-riddled seasons. But the last time he was healthy, Adams was a problem in every definition of the word. 

His last fully healthy season, 2020, earned Adams a Pro Bowl nomination. He had 83 total tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, and 14 quarterback hits. His presence gave the Seahawks' secondary a level of dexterity it hadn't seen since the Super Bowl contending days. And in many ways, he looked every bit of a star defensive back that would set the tone in the Pacific North West for seasons to come. 

And then he signed his four-year, $70 million extension with the Seahawks and hasn't been healthy since. 

That is what made 2022 so surprising, Seattle was a good football team without one of its best football players. 

But heading into 2023, Seattle no longer has the benefit of surprise. Teams have an extra year of Geno Smith film. The pass rush still has numerous questions  And if Adams isn't healthy, Pete Carroll's vision for a secondary chalked full of versatile players that can mimic near-positionless football will be in vain. 

So Adams must be Seattle's break-out comeback player of the year. If he gets hurt, again, the defense may not be able to hold up the same way it sort of did in 2022. Seattle's chances at surprising the NFL, again, are hanging on by a thread — and the name of that razor-thin margin of error is Adams, whose track record isn't the cleanest. 

It's nearing prove-it time for the talented defensive back. But it is no guarantee he will be able to actually do so. 

Feature image via Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports.