The writing has been on the wall for Davante Adams for a while. Once the Las Vegas Raiders ejected on the Derek Carr experience, it was clear that Adams’ exit would not be far behind.
The three-time All-Pro joined the Raiders to reunite with Carr, his old college quarterback and friend, and to get paid. Two years on, Carr is now in New Orleans and Adams is reportedly on the trade block, with a plump bank account.
Things moved quickly this season. After the pummeling at the hands of the Panthers in week three, Raiders’ coach Antonio Pierce said some of his players made “business decisions” in the second half of the game, and that he would be forced to make some of his own. He did not identify the players he was talking about, but it doesn’t take Watson or Holmes to crack the case. Four days later, Adams pulled up at practice with a mild hamstring injury that the Raiders said would keep him out week-to-week. Then, the Raiders reportedly informed other teams they were open to trading the receiver – and Adams told the franchise he “preferred“ to be traded.
Although the rate of midseason trades has increased, they are still rare. Typically they’re back-of-the-roster moves designed to plug a hole. But in recent years we’ve seen an uptick in deals for legitimate difference-makers, including Jalen Ramsey and Von Miller to the Rams and Christian McCaffrey moving to San Francisco.
A potential Adams deal hinges as a pivot point for the season – and could tip the championship scales.
Integrating a new receiver midstream isn’t easy, but Adams is not a typical player. He has proven he can put up meaty production regardless of who’s throwing him the ball or the system he plays in. Adams posted 1,516 receiving yards in his first season in Vegas with Derek Carr and averaged 11.2 yards per reception in 2023 with Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O’Connell and Brian Hoyer throwing him the ball. The 31-year-old may no longer be at the peak of his powers, but strip even 10% away from the six-time Pro Bowler and you still wind up with one of the league’s premier receivers.
The early signals are that the Raiders want a second-round pick in exchange for Adams. To most contenders, that’s a palatable deal. Yet there’s every chance that the asking price comes down. When the Panthers dealt McCaffrey in the middle of the 2022 season, Carolina’s starting position was that it would require multiple high-end picks; they ultimately settled for a second-round pick and a crop of middle-round selections. Adams’ contract is also fairly digestible, and he can rework his deal to push his preferred trade over the line.
Here are five teams who could make a swing for the receiver.
New York Jets
Despite strong offseason moves and the return of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets offense has been rickety through four weeks. They’ve smoked the Titans and Patriots but come unstuck against the Broncos and 49ers. Problems along the offensive line have ground core elements of the offense to a halt. The run game has been solid if a little undercooked, and the passing game has been boom or bust.
Some of the concerns that hampered Rodgers during the back end of his time in Green Bay persist, but there are signs that the Jets offense can catch fire if they can figure their offensive line – though that’s a big if.
But there’s another nagging concern: the lack of chemistry between Rodgers and the Jets’ star young receiver Garrett Wilson. There are hints, here and there, buried beneath the top-line numbers, that the pair’s chemistry is growing. But for the most part, Wilson’s value to the offense so far has been the gravitational pull he places on opposing defenses, which then opens up easier passing windows for his teammates.
Adding Adams would be an instant cure-all. There was a time in Green Bay when the Rodgers-to-Adams connection was the most scintillating in the league. Of all the great quarterback-receiver duos in recent times, none were as productive as Rodgers and Adams. And rarely, in the history of the league, has there been a tandem so instinctive and intellectual. During Rodgers’ back-to-back MVP seasons, the pair were a walking first down and they made 60-yard shots look like pitch-and-catch stuff.
Stacking Adams on top of a receiving corps with Wilson, Mike Williams and Allen Lazard would hand the Jets as dangerous a combination of weapons as anywhere in the AFC.
The Jets have the pieces to get it done, as well as the desperation to pay the asking price. They’re operating in a Super Bowl or bust window with a 40-year-old quarterback, and if this season is a failure then everyone in the building could – and perhaps should – lose their jobs … while it’s anyone’s guess what Rodgers would do next: Retire? Run for Senate?
A package of linebacker Haason Reddick – still holding out for a new contract – plus an early-round pick should be enough to get a deal over the line for the Jets.
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo’s offense opened the season on fire before it ran into a ditch on Sunday night against the Ravens. They’ve democratized the offense around Josh Allen, splitting targets between a bevy of receivers and tight ends while leaning into a power-run game to lighten the load on their star quarterback.
As plans go, it’s a good one. Trading away Stefon Diggs in the offseason has, so far, proven to be the addition-by-subtraction move the organization hoped it would be. But while the early returns have been promising, there are still nagging doubts about whether they have the receiving firepower to win multiple games in January against playoff-caliber defenses. The shellacking at the hands of the Ravens exposed the preseason concerns with Buffalo’s receiving corps. It’s a talented group, but the skillsets of their top threats overlap. At their best, each of the Bills’ top targets do their best work aligning inside and attacking the middle of the field.
Buffalo could, maybe should, bet on the development of their players – chiefly, rookie receiver Keon Coleman. But until one of the young pups proves they can be a difference-maker on the perimeter, the Bills owe it to Allen and their Super Bowl chances to kick the tires on an Adams trade.
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Washington Commanders
You know that Mike Tyson quote about everyone having a plan until they get punched in the face? Well, every franchise has a carefully coordinated, multi-year rebuilding plan until they realize they’ve stumbled into a special quarterback four games into his career.
The Commanders’ offense has been a buzzsaw, with Jayden Daniels setting fire to opposing defenses. Washington lead the league in points per drive and the percentage of drives that end in a score – by an almost baffling amount.
Maintaining that level throughout the season is a tough ask. Kliff Kingsbury’s offenses have a habit of running into the ground the further a season progresses and, at some point, Daniels may return to Earth. If there’s one thing that can keep the unit chugging along, it would be acquiring another All-Pro caliber receiver alongside Terry McLaurin.
Adding a player of Adams’ age and salary – he’s due $36.5m next season – would mean accelerating the team’s timeline. But it would follow the trend set by the Texans, Eagles and Dolphins of acquiring an experienced, expensive receiver while their talented young quarterbacks were still on cheap rookie deals.
With the Commanders in an unexpected divisional race, they should act boldly to increase their playoff hopes and aid the development of Daniels.
Green Bay Packers
Cast your eyes around the NFC and it’s hard to find a contender who feels really good about their championship chances. The Niners are hampered by injuries; the Eagles cannot figure out if their sludgy starts are a result of bad vibes, poor coaching, or a lack of talent; the Vikings are wondering if Sam Darnold’s MVP-like start to the season is sustainable; Detroit’s offensive line, once the powerhouse of the loveable Lions, has looked fallible.
Perhaps the team with the most mojo in the conference, despite the defeat to the Vikings last week, is the Packers, who survived Jordan Love’s early injury scare and were able to keep the train on the tracks.
If the Packers were to chase a midseason upgrade, bolstering their pass-rush would be the top priority. But bringing Adams back would raise the team’s ceiling on offense. The four-man grouping of Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks is filled with talent, but Adams would tie the pieces together.
Kansas City Chiefs
There is a stronger chance that Adams will push for a reunion with Derek Carr in New Orleans than signing off on a trade to Kansas City. But if Adams wants to win a ring, then pairing up with Patrick Mahomes is the way to go. And the Chiefs need a receiver.
Last week’s injury to Rashee Rice could see KC’s No 1 receiver ruled out for the season. And if Rice does make it back before the end of the regular season, he could still be suspended due to his offseason arrest. Whether Rice returns or not before the playoffs, Adams would inject some life into an offense that has been limp in the early stages of the season.
Still, acquiring a player in-division would come at a premium for the Chiefs. Some teams are comfortable moving a player within their division if it brings back the best haul. The Raiders, however, based on their current leadership, do not profile as one of those teams. But the Chiefs should still take a run at the top receiver on the market. They can fudge their cap figure to create enough room to land Adams and they have plenty of draft capital to toss at the Raiders.
Whatever price would make the Raiders engage in talks would probably make most franchises queasy. But the Chiefs are gunning for an unprecedented three-peat. Go chase history!