It looks like the Las Vegas Raiders and star wide receiver Davante Adams are in the midst of a breakup, and the Pittsburgh Steelers could be the beneficiaries.
The drama started on Monday, when it appeared that Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce liked a post on Instagram that said, “Don’t be surprised if Davante Adams has already played his last snap with the Raiders.”
Pierce has been openly critical of the effort level of some his team’s players, and said after the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers, that moves could be made.
“As the game went on, I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions,” Pierce said. “And we’ll make business decisions going forward as well.”
Adams appeared on Up & Adams with Kay Adams on Tuesday and addressed the apparent social media slight by his head coach, and said that Pierce has not reached out to him.
“I haven’t heard from him,” Davante Adams said. “I haven’t talked to him. So I don’t know. I don’t really know what that was about. Obviously, social media is a beast, so there’s a lot of people out there that saw it, wondering what was going on and people reaching out. I haven’t spoken to him.”
3x All Pro WR Davante Adams addresses his HC Antonio Pierce liking a post suggesting Adams will be traded…
"I haven't heard from him (Pierce)… I don't really know exactly what that's all about."@heykayadams @tae15adams @Raiders pic.twitter.com/xMusj9nMFx
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 1, 2024
Asked about his relationship with Pierce, Adams declined to comment.
“Honestly, it’s hard to comment on,” he said. “I’m sure you would imagine as such. It’s one of those situations where I just keep my head down, keep doing my thing and let the chips fall where they may.”
Hours later, reporter Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review Journal reported that the Raiders are entertaining trade talks for their star wide receiver, and has been reaching out to teams to gauge interest.
Adams has three years remaining on the five-year, $140 million free agent contract he signed with the Raiders in 2022, but has very little in terms of future guarantees. He is owed the remainder of his $16.89 million salary for this season, or approximately $13.14 million, in salary for this year.
His contract calls for salaries of $35.64 million in each 2025 and 2026, but none of that money is guaranteed.
The Steelers have been searching for help at wide receiver since trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson in March. The club had a very highly publicized pursuit of San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk that ended with him signing a extension with his current club.
RELATED: Brandon Aiyuk Reportedly Called Off Trade to Steelers in 11th Hour
Making a potential Steelers acquisition of Adams awkward is the fact that Pittsburgh is heading to Las Vegas to play the Raiders in Week 7 on Oct. 13. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 4.