By Zack Rosenblatt, Tashan Reed and Amos Morale III
Davante Adams will likely play in the New York Jets’ matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Wednesday.
Adams, who was traded from the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this week, hasn’t played since Week 3 due to a hamstring injury. The three-time first-team All-Pro is scheduled to be a full participant in practice Wednesday for the first time since Week 4.
Adams suffered a hamstring injury during practice on Sept. 26 ahead of the Raiders’ Week 4 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. He was ruled out, but was present on the sidelines as the Raiders beat the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 29.
The Raiders were shocked when Adams requested a trade the next day. The timing raised some eyebrows about the legitimacy of the injury, but Adams was genuinely injured, according to team sources. With that being said, Adams likely could’ve played last week had it not been for his trade request, according to team sources. He was present at team headquarters to rehab, but the door had closed on him playing again for the Raiders. Overall, he missed three games before the trade.
Davante Adams will likely play this weekend, Jeff Ulbrich said.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) October 16, 2024
Adams spent the past two seasons in Las Vegas after playing eight years in Green Bay with current Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
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The two formed one of the league’s most prolific quarterback-wide receiver duos last decade. In 2014 as a rookie, Adams caught Rodgers’ 200th touchdown pass. In 2020, he caught Rodgers’ 400th touchdown pass. Over eight years together, they connected on 67 other touchdowns and 622 completions for 7,590 yards in 108 games.
A six-time Pro Bowler, the 31-year-old Adams showed earlier this season that he could still perform at an elite level. In Week 2, he caught nine passes for 110 yards in an upset win against Baltimore.
Plug and play
Ulbrich said he doesn’t think it’ll be as hard to incorporate Adams into New York’s offense on Sunday night as it normally would for a new player joining a team in the middle of the season. The reason is obvious: Adams obviously has a history with Rodgers, knows the offense he likes to run, how to play with him and, most importantly, how to handle his complicated cadence and hand signals. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett isn’t calling plays anymore but he is still around to help play caller Todd Downing incorporate him.
More than anything, if Adams is completely healthy — which is the implication by Adams’ full participation in Wednesday’s walk through — then there is no reason to believe he’ll get anything less than a full workload against Pittsburgh, and it wouldn’t be surprising at all if he wound up leading the Jets in targets too if that’s the case.
Adams’ presence should open up some looks for wide receiver Garrett Wilson too, especially since Wilson has been facing each team’s No. 1 cornerback most weeks — something that will change with Adams in the building. — Zack Rosenblatt, Jets beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)
