It's only his second season in the NFL, but Adonai "AD" Mitchell might be in the doghouse with the Indianapolis Colts. He dropped in the draft with some concerns, but he remained a talented receiver. He was eventually selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. This season hasn't gone to plan, and the Pittsburgh Steelers may be interested in giving him a fresh start.
He is someone they showed significant pre-draft interest in just over a year ago, which could lead to negotiations. The Colts have the up-and-coming receiver in the doghouse, and it might be tough to get out. His receivers coach, Reggie Wayne, was optimistic going into Week 6 of action.
"He knows what 'earn it' means. He has to do the little things right and be consistent with it and earn his way back. Wayne continued, "And from my knowledge, he's doing everything to get back on the field. So, I guess only time will tell."
Well, time did tell, but it wasn't a pretty picture. Wayne and the coaching staff decided to bench Mitchell after another playmaker returned from injury. There's a lot of talent among the receivers within the Colts organization, and the Steelers would love to add one via trade. This recent outcome for Mitchell might be the perfect buy-low candidate to lead to a high reward.
Pittsburgh Steelers could target WR Adonai Mitchell after he was benched
Countless names have been floated as trade targets for the Steelers. They sit at a 4-1 record through six weeks of the season, and their lead within the AFC North division continues to grow. It appears they are in the perfect position to win the North, but they do have flaws. It will be up to General Manager Omar Khan to solve those weaknesses if possible.
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It's unknown if Mitchell would become available for trade, especially since the Colts are in the playoff hunt. They probably don't feel comfortable trading a young receiver with immense talent within the AFC.
They could potentially face the Steelers in the playoffs, but they will definitely see Pittsburgh during Week 9 of the season, which coincidentally falls just two days before the NFL's trade deadline.
Don't be shocked if Indianapolis gives Mitchell a chance to repair his damaged image with the Colts. They need as many weapons on offense as possible, but it's hard not to see the imbalance they are struggling with. Maybe an old-fashioned "football" trade would make sense. A swap of Mitchell for one of the Steelers' players could potentially get trade talks to heat up.
Lately, Mitchell's lack of a role on offense in the past couple of weeks is alarming. He has a ton of explosiveness to offer an offense, which the Steelers are dying for. Things haven't worked out for the young playmaker in his career, but maybe a new environment will ignite something. Pittsburgh has prior draft interest in the player, and he could be someone on their radar.