The Pittsburgh Steelers and General Manager Omar Khan have been desperate for an upgrade at wide receiver over the last year. Khan is expected to be aggressive in acquiring top talent at the position during the 2025 offseason as he should be exploring options in the NFL Draft, free agency, and the trade market. Some intriguing names are expected to be available, and the Steelers are in a good spot to select one of the top wide receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, after news broke Tuesday that the New York Jets are releasing Davante Adams, Khan's focus should shift to acquiring the veteran.
It was well known throughout the NFL that Adams' future in New York was in question. He was acquired by the Jets via trade in the middle of the 2024 season as a last-ditch effort to reignite their 2024 campaign by reuniting Aaron Rodgers with his favorite target. Things did not pan out with the Jets, and the organization officially announced his release on Tuesday as the franchise looks to turnover a new leaf under a new regime.
Adams had no more guaranteed money on his contract, so releasing him was the only move for the Jets as no organization would take on the receiver's lucrative contract. The veteran now has the ability to sign anywhere, and the Steelers should be involved as the organization needs help at receiver. Chad Ochocinco was on First Take on Tuesday, where he made his plea for the Steelers to make an offer to Adams.
"I like Davante," Ochocinco said. "Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin, come on, bring him over there. It doesn't matter. He's one of the few players in the league where, 'I don't need help from the offensive coordinator. It doesn't matter, l'm going to be open if you can get it there. Just put it in the area.'"
The star wide receiver is certainly on the tail end of his career, but he has proven to still be effective. The best years of his career came with Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, but he was also productive with the Las Vegas Raiders while dealing with inconsistent quarterback play.
When it became clear that Adams would be traded from the Raiders during the 2024 season, the Steelers were reported to be involved in trade talks with Las Vegas. Ultimately Adams was dealt to the Jets, but Pittsburgh now has another chance to land the receiver who has spoken publicly about his admiration for Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
Adding a veteran wide receiver like Adams would be smart for Pittsburgh. It seems clear that the organization wants to move forward with Justin Fields at quarterback, and a young passer like him who hasn't quite flourished yet could benefit from a veteran to throw the ball to. George Pickens could also see a bump in production due to Adams' presence, while also soaking up some valuable lessons from the veteran.
Steelers Will Have A Tough Time Bringing Davante Adams To Pittsburgh
Getting Adams to sign in Pittsburgh will not be easy. The Steelers have the money to do it, but the wide receiver seems to want to land somewhere on the west coast, or possibly a reunion with his former team in Green Bay. A team that could get involved for Adams is the Los Angeles Chargers, who could use another productive wide receiver. The Chargers also have one of the better quarterbacks in the league in Justin Herbert, and the team plays in Southern California where Adams would like to land.
Pittsburgh will have plenty of competition for Adams' services, but the organization has the money to convince him to sign with the Steelers. As time ticks on, it will be interesting to see how attractive of a landing spot Pittsburgh is for top-shelf free agents after the collapse that ended the 2024 season.
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