The career arc of Mike Adams has taken a strange turn.
Drafted last year to play offensive tackle for the Steelers, Adams is now moonlighting as an extra tight end for a Pittsburgh squad that's 2-2 since he made the switch.
The 2012 second-round draft pick was benched after Vikings pass rusher Jared Allen flamed Adams for three sacks back in Week 4. With Kelvin Beachum now notched at left tackle, the Steelers have sampled Adams as a blocking tight end to help fortify the run game.
"I think that's a testament to him and his mental toughness to overcome some negativity," offensive coordinator Todd Haley said this week, per the Beaver County Times.
Adams graded well in Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills, per Pro Football Focus, playing 22 of his 28 snaps when Pittsburgh went to the run. He's struggled mightily as a pass blocker over two seasons, and it's clear the Steelers don't trust him protecting the quarterback. Or catching the ball.
Adams -- donning No. 76 -- frequently has clocked in as an eligible receiver, but Ben Roethlisberger has yet to target the behemoth.
"He's doing a really nice job with what we're asking him to do as a tight end," coach Mike Tomlin said this week. "... I don't want to equate that to tackle play. Obviously, it's a different set of issues."
The biggest issue? His future in Pittsburgh. Adams is due $712,150 next season and $873,225 in 2015. We can't imagine the Steelers forking over a pile of greenbacks for a dried-up tackle who can't catch the ball or protect the passer at his new position.
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