Davante Adams trade: 3 teams Raiders WR should avoid joining
Davante Adams seems to be fed up with the Las Vegas Raiders based on his statement after their Week 3 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Per Sports Illustrated’s Jeff Smith, below is what he shared with reporters in the post-game press conference:
“I don’t got time to wait around. … It’s not a personal thing. I mean, it is a personal thing, but it ain’t just about me. It’s not my mentality to sit here and try to take all season to figure it out and use these early games like this to establish our identity. We’re not doing the things the right way to establish a winning culture early in the season, so we gotta do something to turn that around.”
Only two things can happen after this. First, the Raiders respond to his call out and play great football. Second, they continue to struggle because of turnovers and questionable in-game decisions. If the latter persists, he might request for a trade. However, he must not join these three teams as far as possible.
3 Teams Davante Adams should avoid when seeking a trade
It’s hard to fathom a team that wouldn’t be interested in trading for Davante Adams. He is a three-time First Team All-Pro member who proved last year that his talent goes beyond being Aaron Rodgers’ long-time target.
He finished his first season in Las Vegas with 1,516 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. Adams is also averaging more than 100 yards per game in the Raiders’ first three games of 2023. But given that all teams would be interested in trading for him, there are squads unsuitable for a player like him.
1) Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings can clear up cap space, accommodating Adams’ massive annual average salary. If general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can pull this off, Minnesota has an explosive 1-2 receiving duo of Justin Jefferson and Davante Adams.
However, there’s only one ball, and putting them together means one player must sacrifice his numbers unless Kirk Cousins can keep them both productive. Likewise, it is also not good for Adams to join a team with a terrible defense.
Cousins’ contract situation could also indicate that he will play for a different team next year. Trade rumors from the New York Jets might mean that Cousins will be on the move sooner rather than later.
2) Carolina Panthers
The Panthers could use a premiere wide receiver after trading DJ Moore to the Chicago Bears. Their current starters (Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Jonathan Mingo) can only do so much. Trading for Davante Adams gives them a legitimate deep threat which can open up their offense.
But while he will be the primary option in the passing game, the Panthers’ quarterback situation is still shaky. Bryce Young has been injured and hasn’t lived up to expectations. Andy Dalton looks to be the better option at quarterback, which is not what the Panthers wanted.
It would be a waste of time for Davante Adams to join a team with no idea who their franchise quarterback will be. Getting traded to a contender is best, even if the Panthers have the cap space to facilitate a trade.
3) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens would have a stacked receiving corps if they traded for Adams. It also addresses their concerns with Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman. But can Lamar Jackson consistently find Davante Adams downfield if they were to link up?
While Jackson has a decent completion percentage, the run game remains the Ravens’ priority. That’s why they still rank fifth in rushing yards per game (158) through Week 3, even if J.K. Dobbins is already out for the season.
It would be uncomfortable for Baltimore to shift their offensive philosophy if Adams joined them. But if it does happen, Jackson must be more of a pocket passer to feed him the ball.