Is a Davante Adams reunion with Aaron Rodgers at the Jets inevitable?
The writing has been on the wall for Davante Adams for a while now. Once the Las Vegas Raiders spoke out about the Derek Carr experience, it was clear that Adams’ departure wouldn’t be far behind.
The three-time All-Pro joined the Raiders to reunite with Carr, his old quarterback and friend from college, and get paid. Two years later, Carr is now in New Orleans and Adams is reportedly on the trade block. with a big bank account.
This season, things moved quickly. After the beating by the Panthers in week three, Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said some of his players “business decisions‘ in the second half of the match, and that he would be forced to make a few himself. He didn’t identify the players he was talking about, but it won’t take Watson or Holmes to solve the case. Four days later, Adams collected at the practice with a mild hamstring injury that the Raiders said would keep him out week in and week out. Then the Raiders reportedly informed other teams that they were open for business the trustee – and Adams told the franchise that he “preferredbe traded.
Although the number of midseason trades has increased, they are still rare. Usually they are back-of-the-roster moves designed to close a hole. But in recent years we’ve seen an increase 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 is a pivotal point for the season – and could tip the championship scale.
Integrating a new midstream receiver isn’t easy, but Adams isn’t a typical player. He has proven that he can produce big numbers regardless of who throws him the ball or the system he plays in. Adams racked up 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 take even 10% of the distance away from the six-time Pro Bowler and you still get one of the league’s best receivers.
The early signs are that the Raiders want a second-round pick in exchange for Adams. For most contenders, that’s a tasty deal. Still, there is a good chance that the asking price will drop. When the Panthers dealt McCaffrey midway through the 2022 season, Carolina’s starting position was that multiple high-value picks were needed; they ultimately settled for a second-round pick and a series of mid-round selections. Adams’ contract is also quite digestibleand he can rework his deal to get his favorite transaction over the line.
Here are five teams that could make a swing at receiver.
Jets from New York
Despite strong offseason moves and the return of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets’ offense has been rickety over the past four weeks. They smoked the Titans and Patriots, but come off against the Broncos and 49ers. Problems along the offensive line are causing the core elements of the offense to grind to a halt. The run game was solid, if a bit undercooked, and the passing game was boom or bust.
Some of the concerns that bothered Rodgers during the latter part of his time in Green Bay remain, but there are signs the Jets offense could catch fire if they can figure out their offensive line — though that’s a big ask.
But there’s another nagging concern: the lack of chemistry between Rodgers and the Jets’ young star receiver, Garrett Wilson. There are hints here and there, hidden beneath the top numbers, that the chemistry between the pair is growing. But for the most part, Wilson’s value to the offense so far has been the pull he provides on opposing defenses, creating easier passing windows for his teammates.
Adding Adams would be an instant panacea. There was a time in Green Bay when the connection between Rodgers and Adams was the most sparkling in the league. Of all the great quarterback-receiver duos in recent memory, none has been as productive as Rodgers and Adams. And rarely in the history of the league has there been a tandem instinctive and intellectual. During Rodgers’ back-to-back MVP seasons, the pair were one walk down first and they made 60-yard shots look like pitch-and-catch stuff.
Stacking Adams onto a receiving corps with Wilson, Mike Williams and Allen Lazard would give the Jets as dangerous a combination of weapons as anywhere in the AFC.
The Jets have the resources to make it happen, but also the desperation to pay the asking price. They’re operating in a Super Bowl or going broke with a 40-year-old quarterback, and if this season is a bust, everyone in the building could – and maybe should – lose their jobs…while it’s anyone’s guess what Rodgers would do the following: retire? Want to run for Senate?
A package from linebacker Haason Reddick – still waiting 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 falling into the ditch against the Ravens on Sunday night. They have democratized the offense around Josh Allen by spreading the targets among a bevy of receivers and tight ends while leaning into a power run game to lighten the load on their star quarterback.
The way the plans are going, it’s a good one. Trading away Stefon Diggs in the offseason has proven to be the best one yet addition by subtraction movement that the organization hoped for. But while the early results are promising, there are still nagging doubts about whether they have the receiving firepower to win multiple games against playoff-caliber defenses in January. The grenades by the Ravens highlighted preseason concerns with Buffalo’s receiving corps. It’s a talented group, but the skills of their biggest threats overlap. At their best, each of the Bills’ top targets does their best work by positioning themselves inside and attacking the middle of the field.
Buffalo could, and perhaps should, bet on the development of their players – especially rookie receiver Keon Coleman. But until one of the young pups proves they can make a difference on the perimeter, the Bills owe it to Allen and their Super Bowl prospects 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 run into a special quarterback four games into his career.
The Commanders offense was a buzzsaw, with Jayden Daniels torching the opposing defense. Washington leads the league in points per drive and the percentage of drives that end in a score – by almost staggering amount.
Maintaining that level throughout the season is a difficult task. Kliff Kingsbury’s offenses have a habit of falling into the ground as a season progresses and at some point Daniels may return to Earth. If there’s one thing that could keep the unit running, it would be acquiring another All-Pro caliber receiver in addition to Terry McLaurin.
Adding a player of Adams’ age and salary — he’s due $36.5 million next season — would mean speeding up the team’s timeline. But it would follow the trend of the Texans, Eagles and Dolphins of acquiring an experienced, high-priced receiver while their talented young quarterbacks were still on cheap rookie deals.
Now that the Commanders find themselves in an unexpected division race, they must act boldly to boost their playoff hopes and support Daniels’ development.
Green Bay Packers
Look around the NFC and it’s hard to find a contender that feels like it Real good about their championship chances. The Niners have been hampered by injuries; the Eagles can’t figure out whether their sloppy starts are the result of bad vibes, bad coaching or a lack of talent; the Vikings wonder if Sam Darnold’s MVP-like start to the season is sustainable; Detroit’s offensive line, once the powerhouse of the likable Lions, appears fallible.
Perhaps the team with the most mojo in the conference, despite losing to the Vikings last week, are the Packers, who survived Jordan Love’s early injury scare and were able to keep the train on the track.
If the Packers were to pursue a midseason upgrade, strengthening their pass rush would be the top priority. But bringing back Adams would increase the team’s offensive ceiling. The four-piece group of Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks is filled with talent, but Adams would connect the pieces.
Kansas City Chiefs
It’s more likely that Adams will push for a reunion with Derek Carr in New Orleans than sign a trade to Kansas City. But if Adams wants to win a ring, pairing him with Patrick Mahomes is the way to go. And the Chiefs need a receiver.
The one from last week injury to Rashee Rice could see KC’s No. 1 receiver ruled out for the season. And if Rice returns before the end of the regular season, he could still be suspended for his offseason arrest. Whether or not Rice returns for the playoffs, Adams would inject some life into an offense that has been sluggish in the early stages of the season.
Still, acquiring a player in the division would represent a premium for the Chiefs. Some teams are comfortable moving a player within their division if it yields the best return. However, the Raiders, based on their current leadership, are not positioning themselves as one of those teams. But the Chiefs should still take a shot at being the best receiver on the market. They can move their cap figure to create enough space to land Adams and they have plenty of draft capital to throw to the Raiders.
Whatever price would get the Raiders talking would likely make most franchises queasy. But the Chiefs are aiming for an unprecedented three-peat. Follow history!