When news of Las Vegas Raiders’ wide receiver Davante Adams’ trade request broke, fans and analysts alike immediately projected the six-time Pro Bowler to end up in one place: the Big Apple.
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With Adams’ former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, needing a boost for his underwhelming offense, a reunion with him on the New York Jets makes a ton of sense.
Rodgers and Adams played eight seasons together (2014-21) with the Green Bay Packers. It took time for Adams to rise up the Packers’ depth chart, but when he solidified himself as Rodgers’ clear No. 1 option, the duo became one of the league’s best QB-WR tandems.
Over their last four seasons together, Rodgers and Adams played 57 games with one another. Adams recorded 432 receptions, 5,310 yards, and 47 touchdowns in those contests, good for a 93.2-yard per-game average.
When Adams first joined the Raiders, he and quarterback Derek Carr – his college teammate – had a good rapport. As a result, his production experienced only a minor drop-off from his days with Rodgers.
However, when Las Vegas cut Carr in the 2023 offseason, things changed. In 20 games since then, Adams has averaged just 67.7 yards per game. He has also surpassed 100 yards in a game only four times in that stretch.
Can the Jets actually acquire Adams?
The Raiders finally being open to dealing Adams away has fanned the flames of him orchestrating his way back to Rodgers. New York, in a win-now window, shapes up as the organization willing to pay the most for him. But that doesn’t mean they will have the easiest time getting him on their roster.
Adams has a $13,5 million cap hit for 2024. For a team adding him, that cost – and impact on their salary cap – will drop by approximately $1 million every week that he remains with Las Vegas. The Jets, with just under $16.9 million in cap space, could fit his contract. But they’d have very little wiggle room to operate throughout the remainder of the season.
For New York to be able to function across the final 14 weeks, they’d likely need the Raiders to pay some of Adams’ salary. And the Jets, who already aren’t in a strong bargaining position, would have to give even more draft compensation to make that happen.
General manager Joe Douglas could elect to wait a few more weeks before getting the trade done to ease the financial burden. But every second he waits allows other potential suitors to pounce. New York’s tough schedule doesn’t really afford them the luxury of patience.
If the Jets want Adams, they have the motive and the means to get him. They just have to decide if they want to meet Las Vegas’ asking price. But if he’s able to partner with Rodgers and win a Super Bowl, whatever draft picks they’d have to part with would be worth it.
