NFL Rumors: Jets tried reuniting Aaron Rodgers and $140,000,000 Davante Adams in New York before trade deadline
Davante Adams' name became one to watch at the 2023 NFL trade deadline as he was rumored to be frustrated with the Las Vegas Raiders.
He is currently having the worst statistical season of his dominant career, exceeding 100 yards just once in eight weeks so far. This comes after he signed a massive five-year deal with the Raiders last year worth $140 million, keeping him under contract until the 2027 NFL offseason, per Sportrac.
The New York Jets were reportedly one of the teams to inquire with Las Vegas about potentially acquiring Adams prior to the deadline. They were apparently considering reuniting him with Aaron Rodgers, his quarterback with the Green Bay Packers before both of them changed teams.
Despite the Jets' reported efforts, the Raiders were allegedly uninterested in moving their superstar wide receiver. In fact, Las Vegas didn't trade away any of their players, but still made major changes by firing head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler.
According to the New York Post:
"Joe Douglas inquired about wide receivers like Davante Adams, but the Raiders were not willing to trade him. The Raiders were willing to trade Hunter Renfrow, but the Jets were more interested in adding an outside receiver than a slot receiver."
They also mentioned that Joe Douglas made similar inquiries with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers about Mike Evans, but received about the same response. While they could have added Hunter Renfrow, Douglas reportedly didn't believe he was the type of upgrade they were looking.
The Jets ultimately ended up making zero moves and sticking with their current roster. While Davante Adams would have been an expensive addition to their roster, there is no doubt that he would have improved the team's playoff push.
Douglas commented on their inactivity at the deadline, saying (via the New York Post):
"There need to be buyers, there need to be sellers. We made a lot of inquiries and had a lot of discussions about a lot of different positions, but ultimately didn’t get any other deals done. That’s where we are."
When Rodgers went down with a devastating Achilles injury in Week 1, many thought their season was over. They have instead salvaged a 4-3 record so far, putting them in the NFL Playoff picture.
Adding a superstar like Davante Adams would have put them even closer to a spot in the postseason. It also would have recreated an iconic tandem with Rodgers, whenever he is able to return from injury.
Davante Adams' dominance with Aaron Rodgers
When Davante Adams hit his prime with the Green Bay Packers, he was truly one of the best overall wide receivers in the NFL.
With Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback, he exceeded 110 receptions, 1,350 yards, and 10 touchdowns three times in a four-year span. He was twice named a first-team All-Pro as well.
Rodgers was also named NFL MVP twice during that time and had Adams on the roster for three of his four total MVP awards.