Vernon Adams leaves Redskins without Contract

[scutterhawk]

I think his tryout was more of a symbolic / political move than a football one. The org wanted to let the fans know that they didn't completely ignore Adams. Even if the Seahawks were seriously considering him, the fact that Adams supposedly missed snaps due to an injury of some sort probably killed any chance he had.

He still has a tryout with the Redskins. Even if he goes to the CFL he'll stay in the PNW, as the Vancouver CFL team owns his rights.

All that said, it's going to suck if Jake Heaps is annoying us with bad play this preseason, knowing we could be watching Adams instead.

This. I don't understand how a team that drafted Russell Wilson can overlook Vernon Adams. He's better than anyone else they have under RW.

May not be over and done with Adams; it could very well be that VA wanted to have a shot at becoming the Starter, and if he's only going to assume the steady Tarvaris Jackson backup role, he likely declined.
Should he not catch on anywhere in the NFL, I believe it's highly likely that he does go to the CFL, or sign with a team that doesn't have the QB position locked down.
It's actually a good thing that Russell Wilson is such a tough hombre, but scary as hell that we don't have a viable backup in the wings.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Perhaps it was a respectful move to not sign Adams. There's a chance they like the kid, but understand Boykin is far more likely to be the #2. Not signing Adams gives him a better chance elsewhere, and earlier on in the process.

This could be like cutting a veteran early in training camp so he has a chance to stick elsewhere. Love Adams, but he's always been a long shot. At least now he has an opportunity to land somewhere else where he has a chance at a #2 or 3 spot on the depth chart. I think we all know that Seattle is only going to roll with 2.

That's what I'm thinking.

 

[Hawks46]

Also looking at what Pete said, he said Heaps was in the system longer, so he knew what was going on and helped the other guys.

He said Boykin had a "very good weekend". Also, Boykin is slightly bigger and is much more athletic than Adams is. Everything being the same, Pete goes with the better athlete.

I know Adams has some intangibles, but they will only get you so far. Plus, if he was hurt in a non contact rookie mini camp, it shows he's likely to be unavailable in the regular season. A lot. Pete said Adams had a "very nice weekend". Seriously, that's like taking a girl out, and all you can say about her is she's "very nice". Nothing against nice people (because we need them) but in guy's talk, that's saying she's got a good personality, but you wouldn't want to see her naked. You don't WANT her that badly. Actually, the reverse is same as well. But you get the point. "Nice" is solidly average. People generally aspire to better than that.

 

[Scottemojo]

The best thing for VA if he wants to play in the league is to get a lot of reps. He can get those in Canada.

 

[kearly]

The CFL will be very kind to Adams no doubt. But when was the last time a CFL QB ended up back in the NFL and sticking to NFL rosters year after year? Jeff Garcia did it 18 years ago. Not sure if it's happened since.

Being an American and going to Canada to play football is a lot like being an American and going to Japan to play baseball. Even if that player is massively successful, they usually remain overlooked.

Then again, Adams might be the best CFL QB since Warren Moon.

 

[bigskydoc]

it could very well be that VA wanted to have a shot at becoming the Starter,.

If VA wanted/ thought he deserved a shot at becoming an NFL starter, he wouldn't have wasted time in the Seahawks rookie camp.

-bsd

 

[Shadowhawk]

The CFL will be very kind to Adams no doubt. But when was the last time a CFL QB ended up back in the NFL and sticking to NFL rosters year after year? Jeff Garcia did it 18 years ago. Not sure if it's happened since.

Being an American and going to Canada to play football is a lot like being an American and going to Japan to play baseball. Even if you have huge success, you will likely remain overlooked.

Yet so many teams in this league are desperately searching for franchise quarterbacks. If Adams tears it up in the CFL he will not be overlooked.

 

[kearly]

Yet so many teams in this league are desperately searching for franchise quarterbacks. If Adams tears it up in the CFL he will not be overlooked.

Part of me wants to agree, but unlike Garcia, Adams ability to dominate at football coming out of college is not a secret. He's been shut out of the league despite tearing it up against the same schools that Jared Goff abused. I get a very "closeminded" vibe from the NFL with regards to Adams.

And really, CFL competition isn't really that much higher than college, so I'm not sure why people would be skeptical now, but believe after he kills CFL competition.

I think Adams is headed to the CFL because there is a bias about him being a "CFL QB." Even if he kills it there, the same people will probably just say "see, I told you he was a CFL QB!"

 

[Hasselbeck]

It's all a moot point as Tarvaris will be back in about a month, Boykin will be the development guy and we'll all live happily ever after

Very true. I thought EJ Manuel was a possibility too but it looks like the Bills are going to wait until the end of the preseason to make the decision on him.

 

[two dog]

I'm kind of surprised Adams didn't get a FA contract with the team. But he had his shot and I
was apparently wrong about his chances.

I get it, though. In a short tryout I can understand how he might not look as good as Jake Heaps.
When the bell rings though, I would still bet,10 times out of 10 on Adams.

Heaps reminds me of Jeff George, all the tools, the head, the confidence but when it's "go" time,
he doesn't. After being a failed high draft pick, George did a multi-year tour of NFL teams including
the Seahawks, and failed everywhere. I realize that he's not alone in that regard.

I think the "intangibles" may be more important than generally thought.

 

[TwistedHusky]

There is no justification for keeping Heaps.

He simply does not have the mental toughness to be effective at even the college level, much less the professional.

And physical attributes will get drowned out completely if you do not have the mental acuity, toughness and ability to learn/apply new information quickly in the course of a game or season.

Pete bets on guys being the best they can be, and he has a track record of being right more than wrong - but other than Heaps knowing the system better, there is no fundamental reason you would want Heaps in a backup role for anything in a sport higher than high school. He simply cannot compete, and the physical gifts pretty much vanish when everyone else has physical gifts too.

To be fair, Wilson goes down we are screwed anyway but keeping Heaps over Adams strikes me as odd if not something that would only happen because someone lost a bet.

Adams has some issues physically, but he has a strong track record of performing when the bell rings. That is rare and valuable, so I am hoping he gets a shot somewhere.

 

[Hasselbeck]

There is no justification for keeping Heaps.

He simply does not have the mental toughness to be effective at even the college level, much less the professional.

And physical attributes will get drowned out completely if you do not have the mental acuity, toughness and ability to learn/apply new information quickly in the course of a game or season.

Pete bets on guys being the best they can be, and he has a track record of being right more than wrong - but other than Heaps knowing the system better, there is no fundamental reason you would want Heaps in a backup role for anything in a sport higher than high school. He simply cannot compete, and the physical gifts pretty much vanish when everyone else has physical gifts too.

To be fair, Wilson goes down we are screwed anyway but keeping Heaps over Adams strikes me as odd if not something that would only happen because someone lost a bet.

Adams has some issues physically, but he has a strong track record of performing when the bell rings. That is rare and valuable, so I am hoping he gets a shot somewhere.

Agreed.. however, once a vet QB is signed (and it will happen) I imagine Heaps is the one on the chopping block

 

[HawkGA]

Millen was just on with Mitch and said Adams had a really rough weekend, rebounded a little bit Sunday, but was not impressive. Boykin was alarmingly terrible with his decision process, and just threw a bunch of balls up for grabs.

Interesting. Isn't this kind of the opposite of what Clayton said?

 

[drrew]

keeping Heaps over Adams strikes me as odd if not something that would only happen because someone lost a bet.

Luckily we have coaches who know what they're doing to make these decisions.

At this point, neither Boykin or Adams offer Wilson any support in breaking down film or in the QB room. They have too much to learn adjusting to the NFL.

That's the one specific role that Heaps is good at. In May, without Jackson on the roster, Heaps offers a ton more value to the club then a second UDFA.

There can certainly be a Boykin v Adams argument, but the anti-Heap stuff is silly and based on not knowing what he's there for.

 

[two dog]

keeping Heaps over Adams strikes me as odd if not something that would only happen because someone lost a bet.

Luckily we have coaches who know what they're doing to make these decisions.

At this point, neither Boykin or Adams offer Wilson any support in breaking down film or in the QB room. They have too much to learn adjusting to the NFL.

That's the one specific role that Heaps is good at. In May, without Jackson on the roster, Heaps offers a ton more value to the club then a second UDFA.

There can certainly be a Boykin v Adams argument, but the anti-Heap stuff is silly and based on not knowing what he's there for.

You may be right, but when T-Jack comes back, Heaps will get an apple and a roadmap so fast he won't
know what the hell just happened.

 

[scutterhawk]

it could very well be that VA wanted to have a shot at becoming the Starter,.

If VA wanted/ thought he deserved a shot at becoming an NFL starter, he wouldn't have wasted time in the Seahawks rookie camp.

-bsd

Well, after not even being Drafted, it could be that he accepted the invite for some one on one talks with Pete & Co.
Not wanting to cut off his nose to spite his face, he accepted the invite.
Can't weigh your options without hearing what they are. (covering all his basses)
I think he found that Jackson was still the viable #1 backup, and then with he and Boyken jockeying for the #2 backup, decided that his chances would be better to see what the Deadskins had in mind.

 

[DavidSeven]

This does not surprise me.

I also wonder if we are getting ahead of ourselves with Boykin a bit. He is a better prospect than Adams, but even he strikes me as fighting for a mere developmental spot. At this point, I would expect for Tarvaris or another veteran to be brought in. Having a guy with experience means you can actually use your playbook if QB1 goes down. Boykin is not going to be ready for that at any point this season or next. And that would be tremendously hard on the rest of the team.

Last thing you ever want is to find yourself in is a Ryan Lindley/Cardinals situation where you can't even compete because the QB is so poor and inexperienced.

 

[Kennedyin92]

I think his tryout was more of a symbolic / political move than a football one. The org wanted to let the fans know that they didn't completely ignore Adams. Even if the Seahawks were seriously considering him, the fact that Adams supposedly missed snaps due to an injury of some sort probably killed any chance he had.

He still has a tryout with the Redskins. Even if he goes to the CFL he'll stay in the PNW, as the Vancouver CFL team owns his rights.

All that said, it's going to suck if Jake Heaps is annoying us with bad play this preseason, knowing we could be watching Adams instead.

This. I don't understand how a team that drafted Russell Wilson can overlook Vernon Adams. He's better than anyone else they have under RW.

Obviously not, considering he was just allowed to leave without a contract.

 

[Smellyman]

Millen was just on with Mitch and said Adams had a really rough weekend, rebounded a little bit Sunday, but was not impressive. Boykin was alarmingly terrible with his decision process, and just threw a bunch of balls up for grabs.

Interesting. Isn't this kind of the opposite of what Clayton said?

Millen is wrong 89.4% of the time.

It is a statistical fact.

 

[Hasselbeck]

This does not surprise me.

I also wonder if we are getting ahead of ourselves with Boykin a bit. He is a better prospect than Adams, but even he strikes me as fighting for a mere developmental spot. At this point, I would expect for Tarvaris or another veteran to be brought in. Having a guy with experience means you can actually use your playbook if QB1 goes down. Boykin is not going to be ready for that at any point this season or next. And that would be tremendously hard on the rest of the team.

Last thing you ever want is to find yourself in is a Ryan Lindley/Cardinals situation where you can't even compete because the QB is so poor and inexperienced.

I think Boykin ultimately winds up on the practice squad, maybe with a payment to keep him from leaving for another team. He's probably like a Josh Portis/BJ Daniels type prospect at this point.

And I'm pretty sure the team is waiting for the day to sign a vet QB when it doesn't count against the comp picks formula. There's no way they will go into 2016, especially with our OL in flux, with Boykin as the only other QB on the roster.