Montravius Adams saw his tenure with the Steelers come to an end last month. The veteran defensive tackle may be able to remain in the AFC North for 2025, however.
Adams is visiting the Bengals today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The 29-year-old joined the Steelers midway through the 2021 campaign and remained in place for three full seasons after that. Over that span, Adams made a total of 46 appearances including 21 starts.
In 2023, the former third-rounder logged a snap share of 48%; his playing time notably dropped last season, though. Adding along the defensive line was seen as a priority for Pittsburgh leading up to the draft, so it came as no surprise when the team selected Derrick Harmon 21st overall. The Steelers then added Yahya Black during the fifth round, something which pointed further to Adams’ roster spot being in jeopardy. He was released shortly after the draft with one year left on his pact.
The Bengals invested along the defensive front during the draft in the form of first-rounder Shemar Stewart, but he will aim to provide the team with needed help along the edge. In terms of interior linemen, Cincinnati has the likes of veteran B.J. Hill and 2024 selections Kris Jenkins and McKinnley Jackson in the fold. Hill will be expected to remain a full-time starter next season, while each of the latter two could see an uptick in usage. As a veteran of 101 combined regular and postseason games, Adams could offer depth to a Bengals team which ranked 19th against the run last year.
Adams has recorded only 2.5 sacks during his career, but he has operated as a consistent run-stopping presence along the way. The Auburn product has not been connected to any suitors prior to today, and at this point in the offseason he should not command a notable free agent pact. With over $26MM in cap space, the Bengals could certainly afford a one-year flier on Adams.