The writing has been on the wall for Davante Adams for some time. As soon as the Las Vegas Raiders ejected on the Derek Carr expertise, it was clear that Adams’ exit wouldn’t be far behind.
The three-time All-Professional joined the Raiders to reunite with Carr, his outdated school quarterback and good friend, and to receives a commission. Two years on, Carr is now in New Orleans and Adams is reportedly on the commerce block, with a plump checking account.
Issues moved rapidly this season. After the pummeling by the hands of the Panthers in week three, Raiders’ coach Antonio Pierce mentioned a few of his gamers made “enterprise selections” within the second half of the sport, and that he could be compelled to make a few of his personal. He didn’t determine the gamers he was speaking about, however it doesn’t take Watson or Holmes to crack the case. 4 days later, Adams pulled up at apply with a gentle hamstring harm that the Raiders mentioned would hold him out week-to-week. Then, the Raiders reportedly knowledgeable different groups they have been open to buying and selling the receiver – and Adams advised the franchise he “most popular“ to be traded.
Though the speed of midseason trades has elevated, they’re nonetheless uncommon. Usually they’re back-of-the-roster strikes designed to plug a gap. However lately we’ve seen an uptick in offers for reliable difference-makers, together with Jalen Ramsey and Von Miller to the Rams and Christian McCaffrey transferring to San Francisco.
A possible Adams deal hinges as a pivot level for the season – and will tip the championship scales.
Integrating a brand new receiver midstream isn’t simple, however Adams isn’t a typical participant. He has confirmed he can put up meaty manufacturing no matter who’s throwing him the ball or the system he performs 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 could not be on the peak of his powers, however strip even 10% away from the six-time Professional Bowler and you continue to wind up with one of many league’s premier receivers.
The early indicators are that the Raiders need a second-round choose in change for Adams. To most contenders, that’s a palatable deal. But there’s each probability that the asking value comes down. When the Panthers dealt McCaffrey in the course of the 2022 season, Carolina’s beginning place was that it might require a number of high-end picks; they in the end settled for a second-round choose and a crop of middle-round picks. Adams’ contract can also be pretty digestible, and he can rework his deal to push his most popular commerce over the road.
Listed here are 5 groups who may make a swing for the receiver.
New York Jets
Regardless of sturdy offseason strikes and the return of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets offense has been rickety by means of 4 weeks. They’ve smoked the Titans and Patriots however come unstuck in opposition to the Broncos and 49ers. Issues alongside the offensive line have floor core parts of the offense to a halt. The run recreation has been stable if a bit undercooked, and the passing recreation has been growth or bust.
Among the considerations that hampered Rodgers through the again finish of his time in Inexperienced Bay persist, however there are indicators that the Jets offense can catch fireplace if they’ll determine their offensive line – although that’s a giant if.
However there’s one other nagging concern: the shortage of chemistry between Rodgers and the Jets’ star younger receiver Garrett Wilson. There are hints, right here and there, buried beneath the top-line numbers, that the pair’s chemistry is rising. However for essentially the most half, Wilson’s worth to the offense to this point has been the gravitational pull he locations on opposing defenses, which then opens up simpler passing home windows for his teammates.
Including Adams could be an prompt cure-all. There was a time in Inexperienced Bay when the Rodgers-to-Adams connection was essentially the most scintillating within the league. Of all the nice quarterback-receiver duos in latest instances, none have been as productive as Rodgers and Adams. And infrequently, within the historical past of the league, has there been a tandem so instinctive and mental. Throughout Rodgers’ back-to-back MVP seasons, the pair have been a strolling first down they usually made 60-yard pictures seem like pitch-and-catch stuff.
Stacking Adams on prime of a receiving corps with Wilson, Mike Williams and Allen Lazard would hand the Jets as harmful a mix of weapons as wherever within the AFC.
The Jets have the items to get it completed, in addition to the desperation to pay the asking value. They’re working in a Tremendous Bowl or bust window with a 40-year-old quarterback, and if this season is a failure then everybody within the constructing may – and maybe ought to – lose their jobs … whereas it’s anybody’s guess what Rodgers would do subsequent: Retire? Run for Senate?
A bundle of linebacker Haason Reddick – nonetheless holding out for a brand new contract – plus an early-round choose ought to be sufficient to get a deal over the road for the Jets.
Buffalo Payments
Buffalo’s offense opened the season on fireplace earlier than it ran right into a ditch on Sunday night time in opposition to the Ravens. They’ve democratized the offense round Josh Allen, splitting targets between a bevy of receivers and tight ends whereas leaning right into a power-run recreation to lighten the load on their star quarterback.
As plans go, it’s an excellent one. Buying and selling away Stefon Diggs within the offseason has, to this point, confirmed to be the addition-by-subtraction transfer the group hoped it might be. However whereas the early returns have been promising, there are nonetheless nagging doubts about whether or not they have the receiving firepower to win a number of video games in January in opposition to playoff-caliber defenses. The shellacking by the hands of the Ravens uncovered the preseason considerations with Buffalo’s receiving corps. It’s a gifted group, however the skillsets of their prime threats overlap. At their greatest, every of the Payments’ prime targets do their greatest work aligning inside and attacking the center of the sector.
Buffalo may, perhaps ought to, wager on the event of their gamers – mainly, rookie receiver Keon Coleman. However till one of many younger pups proves they could be a difference-maker on the perimeter, the Payments owe it to Allen and their Tremendous Bowl possibilities to kick the tires on an Adams commerce.
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Washington Commanders
You recognize that Mike Tyson quote about everybody having a plan till they get punched within the face? Nicely, each franchise has a fastidiously coordinated, multi-year rebuilding plan till they notice they’ve stumbled right into a particular quarterback 4 video games into his profession.
The Commanders’ offense has been a buzzsaw, with Jayden Daniels setting fireplace to opposing defenses. Washington lead the league in factors per drive and the share of drives that finish in a rating – by an nearly baffling quantity.
Sustaining that degree all through the season is a tricky ask. Kliff Kingsbury’s offenses have a behavior of operating into the bottom the additional a season progresses and, sooner or later, Daniels could return to Earth. If there’s one factor that may hold the unit chugging alongside, it might be buying one other All-Professional caliber receiver alongside Terry McLaurin.
Including a participant of Adams’ age and wage – he’s due $36.5m subsequent season – would imply accelerating the workforce’s timeline. However it might comply with the pattern set by the Texans, Eagles and Dolphins of buying an skilled, costly receiver whereas their gifted younger quarterbacks have been nonetheless on low-cost rookie offers.
With the Commanders in an surprising divisional race, they need to act boldly to extend their playoff hopes and assist the event of Daniels.
Inexperienced Bay Packers
Solid your eyes across the NFC and it’s onerous to discover a contender who feels actually good about their championship possibilities. The Niners are hampered by accidents; the Eagles can’t determine if their sludgy begins are a results of unhealthy vibes, poor teaching, or an absence of expertise; the Vikings are questioning if Sam Darnold’s MVP-like begin to the season is sustainable; Detroit’s offensive line, as soon as the powerhouse of the loveable Lions, has regarded fallible.
Maybe the workforce with essentially the most mojo within the convention, regardless of the defeat to the Vikings final week, is the Packers, who survived Jordan Love’s early harm scare and have been in a position to hold the practice on the tracks.
If the Packers have been to chase a midseason improve, bolstering their pass-rush could be the highest precedence. However bringing Adams again would increase the workforce’s ceiling on offense. The four-man grouping of Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks is full of expertise, however Adams would tie the items collectively.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
There’s a stronger probability that Adams will push for a reunion with Derek Carr in New Orleans than signing off on a commerce to Kansas Metropolis. But when Adams needs to win a hoop, then pairing up with Patrick Mahomes is the best way to go. And the Chiefs want a receiver.
Final week’s harm to Rashee Rice may see KC’s No 1 receiver dominated out for the season. And if Rice does make it again earlier than the top of the common season, he may nonetheless be suspended attributable to his offseason arrest. Whether or not Rice returns or not earlier than the playoffs, Adams would inject some life into an offense that has been limp within the early levels of the season.
Nonetheless, buying a participant in-division would come at a premium for the Chiefs. Some groups are snug transferring a participant inside their division if it brings again one of the best haul. The Raiders, nevertheless, primarily based on their present management, don’t profile as a type of groups. However the Chiefs ought to nonetheless take a run on the prime receiver in the marketplace. They’ll fudge their cap determine to create sufficient room to land Adams they usually have loads of draft capital to toss on the Raiders.
No matter value would make the Raiders have interaction in talks would in all probability make most franchises queasy. However the Chiefs are gunning for an unprecedented three-peat. Go chase historical past!
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