Mike Adams Agrees to 2-Year Contract with Carolina Panthers

The Indianapolis Colts now have a big void to fill in their secondary after Mike Adams agreed to terms on a two-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, the team announced Friday.

A Pro Bowler in 2014 and 2015, Adams started 15 games this past season and ranked second on the Colts with 79 combined tackles. His two interceptions were also second-most behind Darius Butler.

Now, Adams will likely be paired with Kurt Coleman as the Panthers look to turn things around after a 6-10 season. The team had an uncharacteristically bad year, though it has elite talent on both sides of the ball. 

Adams and recently acquired Julius Peppers will be part of an effort to bolster an already talented defensive unit featuring Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly.

Though Adams turns 36 in March, he said near the end of the 2016 season that he had every intention of playing in 2017, per Mike Chappell of Fox 59 in Indianapolis:

"

Absolutely. It's a young man’s game. But like I tell everybody and what I'm looking forward to telling every GM whether it's [Colts general manager Ryan Grigson] or somebody with another team, stop looking at my bio and look at my tape.

You can say my age all you want, but look at the productivity. Look at what I've done on the field.

I know I still have more ball in me, whether that's here or somewhere else. I definitely still want to play.

"

While Adams has been a productive safety for the Colts for the last three years, letting him walk in free agency was arguably the better decision.

Money wasn't a big hurdle in terms of re-signing Adams. According to Spotrac, Indianapolis has a little over $58 million available this offseason. Based on his age, Adams' cost was never going to be very high, either.

That relatively healthy among of cap space allows the Colts to spend a little more, though, in order to shore up the safety position for the short and long terms.

Grigson already wasted enough of Andrew Luck's career by failing to properly address the secondary and pass rush. The Indianapolis Star's Matt Glenesk showed how poorly Grigson drafted in recent years, which has played a large role in that futility and led to his departure: 

Although a pass-rusher is the top priority for new general manager Chris Ballard, he should have more than enough money left to adequately replace Adams.

For the Panthers, signing Adams is a sensible addition. He'll bring plenty of experience to the locker room, and he should be a productive safety for at least another season before Father Time catches up with him.