Steelers miss out on the Davante Adams trade sweepstakes

The best wide receiver on the NFL trade market is officially no longer an option. On October 15, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Davante Adams is being traded to the New York Jets. The three-time First-Team All-Pro receiver will not be headed to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Adams, who turns 31 years old in December, played the first three games of the season with the Las Vegas Raiders before nursing a 'hamstring' injury since Week 4. Many have speculated that Adams was healthy enough to play but didn't want to suffer an injury setback before being traded.

This is the second prolific wide receiver trade target the Steelers have missed out on. Pittsburgh had a deal on the table for 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk before the start of the season, but San Francisco pulled the rug out from under Pittsburgh, and Aiyuk signed an extension with the Niners.

Landing Davante Adams would have been a match made in heaven. The Steelers have arguably the worst receiver depth in the NFL, and there has been no viable option in the receiving game outside of George Pickens.

Meanwhile, Pickens hasn't been easy to deal with early in his third NFL season, and the disgruntled receiver has already taken plays off and given some questionable responses to the media.

Steelers' offense could have looked different with Davante Adams

Landing Davante Adams via trade wouldn't have come cheap, and the star wide receiver has two expensive years remaining on his contract after the 2024 season. Still, there's no question his presence would have greatly aided a stagnant Steelers offense.

Adams is as reliable as they come. His precise route-running and soft hands would have given Justin Fields a go-to target while making Pickens' job easier. The passing game has lacked consistency, and it's easy to see that an underwhelming group of wide receivers is part of the problem.

Now Pittsburgh will be left clawing for scraps with whatever they can get out of their pedestrian group. Nobody should be surprised to see Adams end up with Aaron Rodgers. The worst part about this is that Adams will be joining the Jets just in time to face the Steelers in Week 7.

This situation is tough all around for Steelers fans, and Adams was clearly the best trade target out there. Let's hope Pittsburgh's offense finds a way to pull it together if this team is unable to execute a trade for a quality receiver before the deadline.