Davante Adams has been traded, but unfortunately, he isn’t a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead, he’s joined the New York Jets, whom the Steelers play this week. The Steelers went from trying to acquire Adams to now having to potentially play against him. He has missed the past few games with a hamstring injury, but he could be healthy now. Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich doesn’t seem ready to commit to Adams playing in Week 7 though.
“I hope so, but it’s too early to assess right now,” Ulbrich said Tuesday via the team’s website.
Considering Adams was just traded to the Jets, it makes sense that Ulbrich doesn’t have any concrete information. Adams himself seems ready to come back, but ultimately, the decision will rest with the doctors and the coaching staff. Hamstring injuries can be tricky. Even if they aren’t serious, they can linger, so maybe the Jets will exercise caution.
Adams has to learn a new playbook, which could also stand in his way in terms of playing this week. He is joining quarterback Aaron Rodgers and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett after spending time with them in Green Bay. They should be able to help him get caught up to speed in terms of the offensive scheme.
When asked about if it’s health or learning a new offense as far as Adams being able to play against the Steelers , Ulbrich said, “I’d imagine a little bit of both, so we’ll see how the week goes. Hopeful that he’ll play, but no promises at this point.”
As the week progresses, this situation will likely become clearer, but for now that’s as much as can be expected. Adams has yet to even practice with the Jets. No matter how familiar he is with Rodgers, that’s a huge barrier to playing. Perhaps he has a great work week though. The Jets would surely love to debut Adams during Sunday Night Football when they will be desperate for a win.
The Jets are 2-4, but they want to be Super Bowl contenders. If they lose to the Steelers this week, that goal becomes even harder to reach. Adams would significantly improve their chances though. He torched the Steelers last year, recording 13 receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns. With Rodgers throwing him the ball, he could be even better.
Availability is the best ability though. At the moment, not even the Jets know if Adams will play this week. The Steelers will prepare for him either way, which is the right call. It would be foolish to just assume Adams won’t play. A player of his caliber is too dangerous to not account for.
