Jamal Adams Joins Vikings

Jamal Adams Makes the Move to Minnesota Ahead of Camp

Veteran defender Jamal Adams confirmed his impending arrival in Minnesota on social media on Monday night, posting Year 10 and the Vikings’ skol hashtag as the team prepared for training camp for the 2026 season. Training camp is underway for the Minnesota Vikings as the club aims to bounce back next season after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign. On Monday, the organization made what might be considered an underrated move after signing a former All-Pro safety turned linebacker in free agency. The addition brings veteran defensive experience to the Minnesota Vikings front seven as the organization looks to rebound from the previous season.

Financial terms of the agreement were not immediately disclosed following the announcement, with reports indicating that the financials of the deal are unknown right now.

Continuing the Transition to Linebacker in Las Vegas and Beyond

That positional pivot began under former head coach Pete Carroll, who gave the defensive standout a direct directive. It was the first time Adams ever played linebacker in his life, but he clearly adjusted well enough to get a shot at playing the position for the Vikings this season.

“You’re going to be in the linebacker room, so get over it”

Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders head coach

Adams recalled his reaction to the move when speaking to the team’s website in August 2025.

“So I was just like, ‘Alright s–t, let’s do it.'”

Jamal Adams

That first trial in the front seven yielded productive numbers on paper. Across 17 games and four starts with Las Vegas, Adams recorded 45 combined tackles—including 30 solo stops and five tackles for loss—alongside one sack, two quarterback hits, and one forced fumble.

A Decade of Experience From New York to Minnesota

During his early years in New York, he earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2018 followed by a first-team All-Pro nod in 2019. Adams was named a Pro Bowler during that three-season span in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Following a contract dispute with the Jets, Adams was traded to the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the 2020 campaign in a blockbuster package that sent safety Bradley McDougald, two first-round draft picks, and a third-rounder to New York alongside a fourth-round pick. Seattle subsequently signed him to a four-year, $70 million extension one year later. The trade and extension ultimately aged poorly for the Seahawks.

While Adams earned Pro Bowl recognition in his first year with Seattle, persistent injuries limited him to 34 total games over four seasons. After his release following the 2023 season, he split the 2024 campaign between the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions before landing in Las Vegas and now joining the Vikings for his tenth professional season.