The Jets and the Seahawks, who this afternoon will play in Seattle for the first time in eight seasons, are somewhat closer than the usual AFC and NFC opponents who are separated by 3,000 or so miles and meet each other only once every four seasons.
QB Russell Wilson is the Seahawks' big name, but the elephant on Lumen Field (renamed from CenturyLink field last month) is of course S Jamal Adams. The Jets' first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft was traded to Seattle in July.
While the Jets expect Adams to be fired up for this first meeting against his first NFL team, the safety said this week said he has no problem with head coach Adam Gase or the Jets.
"I have no problem with him," Adams said. "Obviously, things are not going in a positive way over there with the record, but at the end of the day, man, I'm going out there to win a ballgame. ... I'm still going to talk my noise, but I'm at peace with it, man."
The Seahawks paid well to acquire Adams, sending their first- and third-round picks in the 2021 draft plus their first-rounder in '22 and S Bradley McDougald to the Jets, who will even the books by sending their No. 4 in '22 back to Seattle.
The teams have swapped players and picks before. Among the deals: The Jets sent DL Sheldon Richardson to Seattle for the 'Hawks' second-rounder in '18, which the Jets then included in their package to Indianapolis to trade up and take QB Sam Darnold with the third pick of the '18 draft. The teams also swapped twos in April's draft, with the Jets trading down and selecting WR Denzel Mims.
Mims was listed as out for this game after not practicing all week due to a non-injury issue but is not listed as inactive. Darnold and the Jets will have Jamison Crowder, who injured a calf muscle early in Wednesday's practice but is active for this game.
Adams isn't the only player on the Seattle roster who has recent ties to the Green & White. Jason Myers, the Jets' long-distance kicker in 2018, is the Seahawks' kicker. Nick Bellore, the Jets' former linebacker and top special teamer, is now Seattle's FB and still a top kick-coverage player. DT Damon "Snacks" Harrison has been back and forth from the 'Hawks practice squad to their active roster, where he is now. T Brandon Shell signed with Seattle as a free agent in March. And QB Geno Smith has been the non-playing backup to Wilson this season.
A number of players were involved in Jets transactions late this past week and may or may not see action today for the Green & White (with uniform number followed by games played and starts this season in parentheses):
CB Bless Austin, No. 31 (8, 7) — (activated from IR, where he was placed Nov. 21)
TE Trevon Wesco, No. 85 (8, 2) — (activated from IR, where he was placed Nov. 9)
S J.T. Hassell, (0, 0) — (signed as a free agent Friday; played 4 games for CLE last year; inactive today)
WR Lawrence Cager, No. 86 (2, 1) — (signed to active roster from practice squad, where he was restored from practice squad IR Oct. 28; had 2 catches for 35 yards at IND)
LB Noah Dawkins, No. 56 (1, 0) — (elevated to active roster today from practice squad, where he was signed Sept. 22; played 10 games for TB last year, made his Jets debut vs. LV with 6 special teams plays)
WR Jaleel Scott, No. 18 (0, 0) — (elevated to active roster today from practice squad, where he was signed Sept. 10; played 3 games for BAL last year, was activated for KC but DNP, could make his Jets debut today)
S Saquan Hampton, No. 29 (0, 0) — (signed to active roster from practice squad, where he was signed Nov. 3; played 5 games for NO last year, could make his Jets debut today)
In conjunction with the newly signed/elevated/activated Jets, this is their seven-man inactive list for Seattle:
- QB James Morgan
- WR Vyncint Smith
- DB Elijah Campbell
- TE Ross Travis
- S J.T. Hassell
- LB Jordan Jenkins
- OL Cameron Clark
And here is the Seahawks' six-player inactive list:
- RB Travis Homer
- S Ryan Neal
- DE Carlos Dunlap
- G Phil Haynes
- OL Jamarco Jones
- T Cedric Ogbuehi
