Davante Adams Trade Rumors: Jets ‘Still Having Conversations’ with Raiders over WR
Featured Columnist IVOctober 12, 2024
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The New York Jets are “still having conversations with the Las Vegas Raiders about a trade for wide receiver Davante Adams,” according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
She reported the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills have remained in contact with the Raiders, who continue to seek a second-round pick for the six-time Pro Bowler. Las Vegas also wants the team acquiring Adams to assume the remainder of his 2024 salary, per Russini.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Oct. 2 the Jets and Saints were “high” on Adams’ wish list and perhaps at the top as he attempts to engineer his exit from Las Vegas. Recent events may have only increased his odds of landing in the Big Apple.
New York fired head coach Robert Saleh, a move perceived to be influenced—explicitly or implicitly—by star quarterback Aaron Rodgers despite what he and team owner Woody Johnson have said. Reuniting Rodgers and Adams would surely be welcomed by the four-time MVP.
Even leaving aside the Rodgers dynamic, a midseason coaching change underlines how desperate the Jets are to win now. They’re clearly incentivized to pursue a star as notable as Adams.
The Athletic NFL @TheAthleticNFL
“I feel like this probably makes the Davante Adams trade more likely.”
The Athletic Football Show discusses the New York Jets and the fallout from Robert Saleh’s firing.
Listen 🎧: https://t.co/rJQPlRfoOj pic.twitter.com/kIOsfGgcbd
The status quo for the Jets offense isn’t working, either. Through five starts, Rodgers is averaging just 218.6 yards per game and ranks 21st in QBR (49.5), per ESPN.com. Beyond showing his age, the 40-year-old doesn’t seem to have a strong connection with his wideouts.
It’s fair to wonder how much Adams would actually help New York.
A hamstring injury is going to sideline him for a third straight week, and his production was already trending downward. The 31-year-old averaged his fewest receiving yards (67.3) since 2017 a season ago and was maintaining that pace (18 catches for 209 yards and one touchdown in three games) to open 2024.
But the Jets have already bent over backward to accommodate Rodgers before and after he arrived, and his presence put the franchise into a championship-or-bust mindset.
Giving up a second-round pick for Adams is pretty steep and arguably way too much to pay. But general manager Joe Douglas has to seriously weigh giving up draft capital for a short-term upgrade because forging ahead with the current roster isn’t a winning formula.
