Tag: system

Alvin Kamara speaks on learning a new offense, and OTA absence

Alvin Kamara has to learn a new system for the first time in his seven-year career. He remains unbothered, saying “Change is good”

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has only known one scheme the entirety of his professional career, whether conducted by Sean Payton or Pete Carmichael. Klint Kubiak now leads the Saints offense, and it’s a drastic change. But it’s not a change that has Kamara stressed.

“Change is good. Change is good,” Kamara repeated. “I think all of us were a little comfortable, the guys that had been here. Just starting fresh and learning a new system, I think it’ll be beneficial. Especially because of what the system is.”

Kamara acknowledged he’ll no longer be able to run through the system with his eyes closed, but he feels Kubiak’s offense is a great fit for him. The change in system made Kamara’s absence at organized team activities noticeable. Maintaining his typical even-keeled and nonchalant demeanor, the veteran emphatically addressed any criticism on his absence.

“For me it was just, I kind of just stuck to what I know,” Kamara said. He starts his offseason in Miami where he can work out with his personal trainer and prepare for the season, which has been the case for him for several years. “I don’t think any of my teammates took offense to it really. Like I said, I still talk to all of these dudes every day. It just is what it is.”

Kamara said he hadn’t heard any of the noise surrounding his absence, but made a point to note he is typically absent from OTA’s. He then detailed he’s been in constant communication with Kubiak and that he watches OTAs practices on his tablet despite not being present.

Physical reps began at minicamp, but the mental reps have been a constant part of the offseason. Kamara welcomed the challenge of a new offense and has diligently prepared for the task through the offseason. Now it’s time to put it into practice.

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Clint Hurtt determined to put Jamal Adams in best position to excel

One of these is strong safety Jamal Adams

With the Seahawks in the midst of a retooling of sorts, they will not be expected to compete in 2022 and eyes will be on the team’s long-term future.

This means that key pieces will be constantly monitored. One of these is strong safety Jamal Adams, who is signed through 2025 and set to make quite a bit of money over the next four seasons.

The Seahawks traded two first-round picks and a third-round pick among other things for Adams in 2020 in the hopes that he would be the missing piece to the puzzle of a championship contender, but the trade has not paid off in spades. In fact, it has been criticized as one of the worst trades in recent memory by numerous pundits across the NFL.

However, Adams’ contract means that he will likely be in Seattle for a while, and Seattle must get the most out of the veteran safety and his abilities.

Defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt is determined to do just that. He has publicly emphasized that Adams must get healthy and learn his new scheme as well as he can so his strengths can be maximized.

“Right now the most important thing is, one,  him continuing to get healthy like he’s been doing,” Hurtt said on Mike Salk’s Seattle Sports podcast. “And then, obviously, ​​there’s the carryover in the scheme. There is some carryover for certain things in it, but there’s a lot of new learning as well.”

“I’ve been speaking with him, he’s been speaking with coach (Sean) Desai and coach (Karl) Scott as well, continuing to learn his stuff and get him up to speed and also in putting him in positions to be successful to be the best version of himself.”

“He got a lot better,” Hurtt continued. ​​”We hear all the little talk and stuff like that about these things he has to get better at. Jamal is a guy that’s a workaholic, he pays attention to the details. He got a lot better playing quarter coverage safety last year with those things and now it’s continuing to accentuate what he does great.”

Adams will need to work to rectify the weaknesses in his game, particularly in coverage, but Hurtt will also need to take advantage of the opportunities Adams gives him with his strengths.

“And what is that? He’s great as an underneath defender, he’s an outstanding run fit defender and tackler, and aggressor,” Hurtt said. “Obviously, we already know what he is as a blitzer. That comes very natural to him. But it’s just continuing to detail out his coverage responsibilities and whatnot, and he’s putting all his work in on that right now along with getting healthy.”

Adams will hopefully prove to be an asset in Hurtt’s system and live up to his sizable contract. This will certainly be something to keep an eye on moving forward.

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