Pittsburgh Steelers general manager, Omar Khan has a ton of decisions to make this off-season. He will likely have to cut ties with a couple of veterans, something GM's have to do every year. Cornerback William Jackson III makes sense as a possible cap casualty, and he's been discussed as just that.
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Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox published an article on Monday detailing three players that the Steelers should cut ties with. Unsurprisingly, Jackson and backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky were listed. The third and final name is one that hasn't been thrown around yet, defensive lineman, Montravius Adams.
"In 2023, Adams is set to carry a cap hit of $3.2 million. The Steelers could save $2.5 million by letting him go. That's not an insignificant sum, and the Steelers will have to determine whether Adams can carry a larger role or is expendable," Knox said.
After Tyson Alualu's early season struggles, Adams was promoted to the starting lineup by head coach, Mike Tomlin. Adams started nine games in 2022, and the run defense did get a bit better with him in the lineup. He still didn't see the field more than a rotational piece though, so it's clear that group needs some reinforcements in the middle.
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Out of 127 interior defenders, Pro Football Focus ranked Adams tied-for-104th in 2022. That's not particularly inspiring, and he actually graded the best in his pass rushing. Alualu actually ranked 126th, as he showed clear signs of being washed due to age and past injuries.
The defensive line will demand some attention this off-season, as Alualu will likely retire. Chris Wormley is also a free agent, as he's coming off a major injury at the end of the season. That's two roster spots that Khan will have to replace, not to mention, if they opt to cut a guy like Adams.
With such few options as of now though, Adams may not make much sense. Cam Heyward's name has even been thrown out there as a possible candidate that Khan could choose to move on from. While the line does need to get younger, losing Heyward or even Adams would set back this unit a ton.
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Would getting rid of Adams be worth it for $2.5 million? Who do you want to see Khan go after in the draft and/or free agency? Should the team consider making a big splash at the position in free agency? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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