When Todd Bowles was still the head coach of the New York Jets, he drafted Jamal Adams No. 6 overall in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
In just his second season as a pro, Adams earned a Pro Bowl nod and was also named second-team AP All Pro. When it became clear that Bowles was likely to be fired, Adams publicly had his coach's back and called Bowles his favorite head coach he's ever had.
When the new regime took over in New York, and Bowles in Tampa Bay as the defensive coordinator, Adams was eventually traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. He has since bounced around, with brief stints in Tennessee and Detroit, and now Las Vegas. With the Raiders utilizing Adams' strengths and putting him in position to succeed, including moving him from safety to linebacker, Adams is having his best season in years.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers happen to have a need for reinforcement at linebacker, and Bowles could be intrigued at the idea of reuniting with a familiar face. Currently, Tampa Bay is relying on SirVocea Dennis as the No. 2 inside linebacker, but he has proven to be a liability at times.
Entering Week 8, Dennis had surrendered a league-high 438 yards in coverage, per Pro Football Focus. PFF currently ranks Dennis as the No. 70 linebacker out of 80 qualifying players in 2025, and his coverage grade ranks dead-last in the NFL.
In comparison, Adams is ranked as the No. 17 linebacker by PFF. His coverage grade ranks an impressive No. 11. Adams' stats don't jump off the stat sheet. He has just 14 combined tackles and a sack so far this season, but he has been impressive when on the field in limited action, playing just 45.5% of the snaps.
With the Raiders at 2-5 through seven games and out of playoff contention, they could be eager to gain any future assets as they look to build for the future. Between Tampa Bay's need for depth at linebacker and Bowles' familiarity with Adams, trying to acquire him for a bargain price from a desperate Raiders team could be a wise move to explore for Jason Licht and the front office.