Davante Adams to the Steelers: could it really happen?
Davante Adams has asked the Raiders to trade him, the Raiders are open to trading him, and the Steelers are open to trading for a wide receiver. At least we can reasonably assume that they are. They nearly traded for Brandon Aiyuk, after all, so let’s not pretend they are not in the market.
So far this season, wide receivers outside of George Pickens, outside of one catch, haven’t made huge contributions. Davante Adams isn’t currently exploding with All-Pro numbers, but he has also missed a game. And he is averaging about the same yards per game as Pickens is for the Steelers.
But Adams also has a big, fat contract, including the prorated portion of a $16,890,000 base salary this year. The Steelers could make that work if they really want him, but he is also on the books for $35,640,000 apiece in 2025 and 2026.
First thing’s first: what is Davante Adams worth, and worth to the Steelers? Even at 31, he is still a very talented player. He put up 103-1,1448 last year, and scored 14 touchdowns in 2022. Only one player in Steelers history has ever done that in a season, and he did that once: Antonio Brown.
Adams has six seasons of double-digit receiving touchdowns compared to four below, and he missed at least three games in two of those four seasons in which he did not reach that mark. Sure, he benefited from playing with Aaron Rodgers, but he could really help the Steelers. Justin Fields needs a reliable guy who can get open effortlessly, which they don’t have.
Of course there is no question that dropping Davante Adams onto this roster makes the Steelers better. But the Raiders are reportedly looking for a second-round pick plus additional compensation. They’re not getting that, but how far are they willing to diverge from that? They will loosen their demands as the trade deadline approaches, I’m sure, and that’s when the Steelers pick up the phone.
If the Steelers were to pursue Adams in a trade, it’s hard to see them viewing it as a long-term pact, and not just because of his age (soon to be 32). His upcoming salaries are just too high for a player on the down side of his career. Perhaps he could agree to lower his 2025 charge in the event that they are open to it. But they went after Aiyuk because he would have been their future, still young and early in his career. That’s not the case here with Adams, and the Steelers and any other interested party know that.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Will Russell Wilson regain his job when he is healthy, or is Justin Fields stealing it? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
