DT Montravius Adams grateful to start, particularly after injury-filled camp for Steelers

Montravius Adams acknowledges that it was less than a month ago he had fears he could be let go by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That only served to make this week’s promotion to starter all the more gratifying for the veteran defensive tackle.

“I’m just glad to be recognized,” Adams said before practice Wednesday, a day after the Steelers’ official depth chart listed him as the No. 1 nose tackle ahead of Tyson Alualu.

“I mean, it’s definitely an honor. For it to be (ahead of) a guy like Tyson, a polished veteran, it means a lot.”

Montravius Adams is happy to be an official “starter” - but he’s no savior! pic.twitter.com/0T4kvx4KIt

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 28, 2022

Adams joined the Steelers late last season — signed off the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad — and almost immediately became the starter at nose tackle, despite little prior experience in that role. The Steelers were pleased enough with his work that they signed him to a two-year, $5 million extension in March.

But Adams knows from experience that the only guarantee in that pact was the $1.465 million signing bonus. The previous spring, as a free agent for the first time following four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Adams signed with the New England Patriots for one year and $2.5 million.

The Patriots, though, cut him at the end of camp. So when an ankle injury prevented Adams from playing in any preseason games or taking part in several practices this past training camp, Adams had trepidation he might again be a late-camp roster casualty — particularly because the Steelers’ defensive line corps is arguably the deepest position on the team.

“It was hard mentally,” Adams said of being injured during camp. “In this world, even as a guy with a contract, those worries (of being cut) can still slip in.

“But I was just hoping that my play took care of it, and, you know, obviously it did. And I just want to keep on moving.”

Adams said that while the designation on the official depth chart is nice and that he will relish the opportunity to take the first snap (at least so, when the Steelers are in “base” defense and using a nose tackle), functionally not all that much changes. Football isn’t like baseball in that being a “starter” carries no official weight as the game progresses, and Alualu and Adams were part of a rotation along the Steelers defensive line anyway.

During last week’s loss at the Cleveland Browns, Alualu played 39 of the Steelers’ 72 defensive snaps while Adams played just 15. Through three games this season, Alualu had been on the field 43% of the time and Adams 13% for the Steelers.

Like Alualu, Adams also can play “end” as one of the two defensive linemen who are on the field when the team is in nickel or dime.

“Our rotation is a great rotation,” Adams said, “and it is what it is.”

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