Jets Wide Receiver Struggles to Find Impact in First Game Since Trade

The New York Jets new wide receiver Davante Adams struggled to make an impact in his first game with his new team against the Pittsburgh Steelers this past Sunday.

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The New York Jets offense had a new look on Sunday Night. 

But they couldn’t find a way to make it work.

After the blockbuster trade that sent All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams to the Jets from the Las Vegas Raiders, the 31-year-old played in his first game since Week 3 of the season. 

Adams was dealing with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss the last few games of his tenure with the Raiders but was ready to go as soon as he was traded to the Big Apple. 

In his first contest with his former teammate from their time with the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers, Adams was not as great of an impact as he and the rest of the Jets offense was hoping for. 

In Sunday Night Football's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich clearly wanted to get the newly acquired wide receiver involved right from the start. 

The first play of the game for the Jets offense was a pass to Adams that fell incomplete. The out-route pattern was just out of reach from the 41-year-old quarterback. They were not able to reconnect again until the second drive on a nine-yard reception. 

Rodgers to Adams. One of many, but their first connection with the @Nyjets ✈️

📺: #NYJvsPIT on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/WKj3rCFpEx

— NFL (@NFL) October 21, 2024

Adams found his second reception of the day for a ten-yard gain; however, it wasn’t enough to move the chains, and the Jets were forced to punt the football. The offense was looking to work out their new identity while being aggressive on the ground. It caused some struggles early, though, as they went three-and-out on three straight drives. 

The receiver entered halftime in his first game as a member of the Jets, second on the team with three receptions for 30 yards. He only trailed running back Breece Hall who had 93 yards receiving, including a 57-yard pass that set up the team's second score of the evening. 

However, after that, Adams was absent from the stat sheet. The former six-time pro bowler was shut down in the second half by the Steelers defense. Overall, he was targeted nine times but could only make receptions of 33% of those attempts. The 30 yards he finished the night with was the least amount of yards Adams has had in a game with Rodgers since 2017.

The Jets traded a third-round pick for the six-time Pro Bowler to the Las Vegas Raiders, which can become a second-round pick based on Adams's performance for the rest of the season. The hope is for him to join his former teammate, Aaron Rodgers, that the Jets can salvage their season and reach the postseason. 

Something that looks pretty close to being out of reach after a dreadful 2-5 start on the season. 

Adams's frustration has already started to take shape, but not in the way the former disgruntled receiver has shown in the past. Instead, he voiced his displeasure in not getting the win despite all the talent on the team's roster. 

"That's almost what pisses you off even more, knowing that you have those type of weapons and you come up short."

Adams and the rest of the Jets will look to avoid their fifth loss in a row next week as they travel to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots. A loss would move the team to 2-6 on the season. Only three teams in the Super Bowl Era (1970 Cincinnati Bengals,  2020 Washington Commanders, 2022 Jacksonville Jaguars ) have started the season 2-6 and made the postseason.