Player: DT Montravius Adams
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: Montravius Adams could see himself on the outside looking in should the Steelers invest heavily in their defensive line. If they draft a defensive tackle in the first round, for example, he is all but gone. The Steelers have volume in their defensive line room, but quality is lacking. There is no guarantee that he fails to make the team, but it sure would be a lot harder.
Montravius Adams found something of a second life when he hooked up with the Steelers. As things stand, he is preparing for his fifth season with the team. Serving as the backup to Keeanu Benton, though, he could fall further down the pecking order. And he isn’t on a minimum salary, making him more vulnerable.
Heading into the draft, the Steelers have Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Montravius Adams, Isaiahh Loudermilk, DeMarvin Leal, Dean Lowry, Logan Lee, Daniel Ekuale, Esezi Otomewo, Domenique Davis, and Jacob Slade in their defensive line room. I didn’t major in math, but my rudimentary abilities tell me this is too many to make the roster.
Now, there aren’t a lot of zero-technique bodies in there. I don’t think it’s even arguable that Montravius Adams fits that profile best. Even over Benton, whom many Steelers fans want to see moved to five-tech. There’s Davis, but let’s be honest—he is probably not making the roster.
Now, what happens if the Steelers draft Walter Nolen or Kenneth Grant in the first round? Sure, that probably kicks Benton over, though that’s not a guarantee. Drafting a defensive tackle later might be even more injurious to Adams’ roster chances, though.
Let’s say the Steelers draft Derrick Harmon, and Benton stays at nose. But they also draft a nose tackle in the fourth round, so you have Benton and a rookie. Where is the room for Montravius Adams? They already have more than half a dozen defensive ends to sift through.
Despite how it might read, I’m actually a fan of Adams, particularly as a three-tech. Injuries really impacted his 2024 season, as well. But he is turning 30 soon, the injuries are a concern, and he is making more than $2 million this year. The saving wouldn’t be much, but it would be more than nothing.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. Once the dust settles on free agency, we turn our attention to the draft, and so on. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
