Ben Roethlisberger begs Steelers to repeat their mistake with Davante Adams trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers need wide receiver help, that much is obvious. Minus George Pickens, who actually witnessed a downturn in his snap count this past week against the Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers wide receiving corps leaves a lot to be desired.

Van Jefferson is not a WR2 on a winning team, I don't care how well he blocks. Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson are still developing as young players, and they're clearly not WR2 caliber yet. So, the Steelers should be shopping for some help at the position come the NFL trade deadline.

Davante Adams is readily available for any team willing to pay his steep asking price. The Raiders prefer a second-round pick in return (at least), and Adams contract will pay him over $16 million this season, and likely needs to be reworked come 2025. Unless Adams agrees to a new contract when he is dealt, it's tough to argue he's worth that Day 2 selection. The Steelers value their Day 2 picks more than most, and have a high success rate selecting wide receivers in the second and third rounds.

Ben Roethlisberger asks Steelers to trade for Davante Adams

On his Steelers-related podcast, Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger, Big Ben said adding Adams would make Pittsburgh a Super Bowl threat. It's tough to argue with that logic, but one must keep in mind that the Steelers quarterback situation remains...a bit of a mystery. Yes, Justin Fields has played well most of the season so far, but Russell Wilson is lingering behind him. Both players have a lot to prove before the Steelers commit to one of them long term.

Nonetheless, Pittsburgh's defense and Mike Tomlin will always keep the Steelers competitive. They should be favored to qualify for an AFC Wild Card spot, with or without Adams in tow.

The major flaw in Roethlisberger's judgement is that the Steelers have been here before. Just this offseason, Pittsburgh was involved in the bidding for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who used the Steelers as leverage to get a new deal by the bay.

Adams does not want to stay in Vegas, but he reportedly prefers a deal to the Saints or Jets, as he has relationships with past quarterbacks Derek Carr and Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers don't have that same advantage, and thus could lose out on Adams much like they did Aiyuk.

As fun as it would be to watch Adams in the Steel City, their best bet might be to add a seasoned veteran like DeAndre Hopkins at a more affordable asking price, such as a late-round pick.