Jamal Adams has waited a long time for his return to NFL action. Pete Carroll confirmed on Friday that his wait will stretch past the one-year mark.

Adams has not played for the Seahawks since suffering a torn quad muscle in Seattle’s season opener with the Broncos on Sept. 12, 2022.

Despite being activated from the PUP list last month following a long recovery, Adams will not play in the Seahawks’ Week 1 game with the Rams on Sept. 10.

Speaking to 93.3 KJR, Carroll said of Adams’ prospective return: “It’s gonna be after the start of the season. We’re not gonna push him.”

“It’s gonna be after the start of the season; we’re not gonna push him.” Whether it’s a game or a couple games, [they] just want him healthy and confident.

Pete Carroll on Jamal Adams status with Chuck and Buck on KJR now.

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— 93.3 KJR (@933KJR) September 1, 2023

Given the severity of Adams’ injury, the Seahawks are right to play it safe with the former sixth overall pick, especially given they have the options at the safety position to ensure rushing him back is not a necessity.

Quandre Diggs is established as the starting free safety having made the Pro Bowl for three straight seasons for the Seahawks. Julian Love is in the mix to start alongside him in the opener, while nickel corner Coby Bryant has spent much of camp and preseason at safety.

When he does return, the Seahawks will likely primarily ask Adams to wreak havoc from the box and rolled down as an additional blitzer. Back in 2020, Adams set a record for most sacks in a single season by a defensive back when he racked up 9.5.

His pass-rushing prowess can bring an extremely useful dimension to their defense, but getting that additional facet right away is not worth risking a recurrence of the injury for Adams.

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