The Pittsburgh Steelers have some clear weaknesses that are coming to light just five games into the 2024 season. Depth is becoming an issue along the offensive line, at outside linebacker, and cornerback. However, wide receiver is the position that needs to be addressed the most. George Pickens played great at the beginning of the season, but he put forth a fairly uninspiring performance in Week 5. The NFL's trade deadline is quickly approaching, and General Manager Omar Khan may need to go shopping to sure up the wide receiver group.
An interesting name that is available on the trading block is star receiver Davante Adams. He has grown unhappy with the Las Vegas Raiders and had a falling out with the organization just a few weeks ago. This led to the receiver requesting a trade.
Adams has a pair of preferred destinations where he would like to land which include the New York Jets and the New Orleans Saints. NFL insider Adam Schefter went on NFL Live on Tuesday and shared his belief that trade talks have slowed down between the Raiders and those two organizations.
"Davante Adams obviously would like to be in New Orleans, would like to be in New York with the Jets, there has been discussions. But, I think the events in New York and the events in New Orleans may have slowed down talks with those two teams and we'll see if and when they can pick up steam because everybody does expect that Adams will be traded, we just don't know where or when. The Jets are going through a head coaching change, New Orleans has an injured quarterback, and we'll see how that impacts Davante Adams going forward."
The whole reason Adams would prefer to be sent to the Jets or the Saints is to reunite with one of his former quarterbacks. He spent his college career and a season in the NFL with Derek Carr, and he spent the majority of his NFL career with Aaron Rodgers while both players were with the Green Bay Packers.
During Monday Night Football in Week 5, Carr suffered an oblique injury. He exited the game and is expected to miss at least the next two weeks with the injury. The Saints currently have a record of 2-3, and they could be 2-5 after playing with a backup quarterback for the next two games. Adams wants to win, so New Orleans may no longer be a viable landing spot.
The same goes for New York, who fired Head Coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday morning. Rodgers and the Jets' offense have also been struggling, but Adams may still want to reunite with his former quarterback. Either way, firing a head coach will certainly slow down any trade talks. This may give the Steelers some time to make a move and acquire Adams. Pittsburgh has already submitted some aggressive offers for the wide receiver.
Steelers' Trade For Davante Adams May Not Materialize For Some Time
A hold up in trade talks between the Steelers and the Raiders may be their upcoming matchup in Week 6. No team would trade their best player to their upcoming opponent, so a trade between the two organizations likely wouldn't happen until after the two teams meet. This will give other teams time to land Adams, but it is promising to hear that trade talks are slowing down between Las Vegas and other contenders.
As Schefter said, Adams is definitely expected to be traded. The only question is to who and when it will happen. The Steelers are still in the mix, and after Tuesday's events, their chances of landing the star receiver have certainly increased. Adams could be a serious asset for Pittsburgh as a three-time All-Pro.
