Last Tuesday, Davante Adams formally requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders. There has been lots of speculation as to where Adams will end up and the potential implications of this move. Depending on where he ends up, this trade could easily reshape the landscape of the NFL. I’ll be taking a look at some of the expected landing spots for the six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.
New York Jets
Stating the obvious with this one, it is no secret that Davante Adams wants to be reunited with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers. Adams has been vocal in the media that he would prefer to end up in New York alongside his former teammate. The quarterback-wide receiver duo was arguably the best in the league during their time in Green Bay. In their 108-game tenure, Adams amassed 7,590 yards on 622 receptions with 69 touchdowns. Things have been less than ideal for the two since they split up prior to the 2022 season. Rodgers missed the entirety of the 2023 season with a torn Achilles and has been off to a slow start in his return to the field. Adams has had to deal with inconsistency at the quarterback position as Gardner Minshew is the seventh starting quarterback for the Raiders since he arrived in Las Vegas. Perhaps being on the same sideline is what both of these former All-Pro players need to get things back on track.
New Orleans Saints
When the Raiders first traded for Adams, it was in the hopes of pairing Adams with his former college quarterback Derek Carr. The two were teammates at Fresno State, and in their two years together Carr threw Adams over 3000 yards and 38 touchdowns in their 26 games played together. The two have remained very close friends throughout their professional careers. When they hit the field together for Las Vegas in 2022, it was like they never left it. Adams had 1290 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns from Carr that year. Despite the tandem’s obvious success, the team struggled, only winning six games and missing the playoffs. In the following off-season, Carr signed a four-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, bringing an end to his time with the Raiders and Adams to an end. Carr recently commented on the trade talks surrounding Adams and the Saints.
“I think all 32 quarterbacks would love to play with Davante. We would welcome that,” Carr said.
Wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed have both been impressive for New Orleans this year, and adding Adams to that receiving core would help edge out an advantage over the other loaded offenses in the NFC South.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders have shocked the world this season, starting off the year with a 4-1 record. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has been leading the way for Washington and has emerged as the next big thing in football. He has thrown for over 1,100 yards and has a 73.2 quarterback rating which ranks third in the NFL. The Eagles and the Cowboys are both bound to straighten things out before the season is over, so the Commanders need to do something to maintain their advantage in the division. The Commanders have an opportunity to capitalize on their success by making a move for Adams. Jayden Daniels has already found comfortability with former pro-bowlers Terry McLaurin and Zach Ertz, adding a superstar like Adams would only aid in Daniel’s development. McLaurin has not finished south of 1,000 receiving yards since his rookie year, so lining up on the same offense as Adams will cause nightmares for defensive coordinators. Washington currently has the sixth-highest salary cap in the league right now, giving them the financial wiggle room needed to make Adams contract work.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers’ defense has been one of the best in the league thus far, they currently rank eighth in yards allowed and third in points allowed on a per game basis. On the other side of the ball, they have found less success, ranking 27th in points and 23rd in yards per game. Justin Fields has been solid under center for Pittsburgh, not making too many mistakes with only one turnover on the year. He has completed 67.6% of his passes and has a 97.1 passer rating. The Steelers just don’t have a whole lot of tools in their offense compared to the better offenses in the NFL. Pickens has been a decent wide receiver option this year, he is tied for the 21st most receptions this year and is 17th in yards, but this is not the production a team wants out of a true first option. Fields has only thrown for 233 yards to wide receivers not named Pickens this year. Davante Adams provides an opportunity to reshape this offense and give Fields a premier wide out to throw the ball to. The Steelers were aggressive this off season when going after Brandon Aiyuk, and will likely pursue Adams with equal effort.