Welp, it was another disappointing conclusion to the Steeler's latest "big fish" trade target. Davante Adams has been in the rumor mill for a while now, and things started to heat up over the past week. Many thought he would be moved after the star receiver and the Raiders seemed ready to go in separate directions.
Adams made his viewpoint on everything clear, and now he moves on.
The trade will not see Adams land in Pittsburgh after all. He will be reuniting with Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets. It's not a bad landing spot for one of the best receivers in the NFL. It seems like something Pittsburgh should have taken advantage of. They missed out and Adams will now be playing for the Jets, which they face in Week 7. It is another missed opportunity for the Steelers.
If the black and gold want a chance at winning this season, they need to make "all-in" moves. They need another receiver besides George Pickens, and they have refused to find an upgrade ever since they traded away Diontae Johnson. That has been a shadow the Steelers have not been able to get out of this year. After they missed on Adams in this trade, they might not have many other options.
Davante Adams becomes Steelers largest trade failure yet
Fans have been begging Pittsburgh to do something about their problems at receiver. Many thought Omar Khan had a plan to replace Johnson when he was traded early in the offseason process, but it turned out, he didn't. Khan has gained a ton of popularity ever since becoming the Steeler's General manager, but that doesn't mean he hasn't made poor decisions to date.
Adams is the latest failure when it comes to a trade not getting across the finish line. Everyone remembers the Brandon Aiyuk trade debacle just a couple of months ago. That was a different situation compared to Adams since Aiyuk had a lot of control. He decided to stay in San Francisco at the last minute, but still, it was something the Steelers weren't able to upgrade their team with.
If Khan cannot find another option on the trade market to acquire before the deadline on November 5, then the Steelers might be wasted. They have limited options in the passing game and that will cause problems for Russell Wilson or Justin Fields each week. Neither starting quarterback can do much with the limited amount of separation these receivers are making each week.
Adams would have been a huge get for Pittsburgh. He would have boosted their offense immediately, even if it took a while for him to get completely comfortable on his new team. He would have been a terrific veteran receiver to help Pickens straighten himself out too.
Pittsburgh continues a disappointing trend when it came to failing to upgrade their team via trade.