How It All Started…
It was the trade heard around the league. if you aren’t familiar with the story of the Davante Adams trade, it’s a doozy. On October 15th, former Las Vegas Raiders star wide receiver Davante Adams was traded to the New York Jets to play with his former Green Bay Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers. Adams had every intention, as most players do, of bringing a championship to the Raiders, but the feeling wasn’t mutual between him and the front office.
When Adams came to the Raiders, it was because he wanted to play with former Fresno State teammate Derek Carr, but that marriage didn’t last long and eventually Carr moved on to the New Orleans Saints.
One reason it didn’t work between the two former teammates was because as the season progressed, he was not getting the passes he thought he would when he joined the team. Simply put, the connection was off between him and his quarterback. Not only was the offense in shambles but there was starting to be friction between him and management.
Once Carr left, Adams pleaded with Raiders management to make some personnel changes, specifically at quarterback. So, they brought in former San Francisco 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo whom they thought was the answer; he wasn’t. Injuries limited Garoppolo’s playing time, which led him to be cut by the team earlier this year.
Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Eventually, the team would turn to Gardner Minshew as their starter which didn’t work out either. But one thing you can say about Adams is he’s always shown support to his QBs including Minshew whom he said, “is one of the most mentally tough people I’ve been around.”
Yet as the season went along, like with Carr, Adams wasn’t catching many passes or touchdowns. The former all-pro at one point had only 201 yards and a touchdown and once Minshew was benched for Aiden O’Connell, that didn’t solve anything either.
Many fans feel it just accelerated Adams’s move out of Vegas to the New York Jets.
Adams’s problem doesn’t seem to stem from his relationship with his teammates, but his disappointment with team management, which finally led to his being traded to the Jets.
The terms of the trade deal are that the Raiders will get a conditional third-round pick in 2025. The numbers from 2014-2021 reflect that Aaron Rodgers & Davante Adams have great on-the-field chemistry combining for 615 receptions, 7,529 yards, and 68 touchdowns. The pair were second only to Matt Ryan and Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons at the time.
Sep 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) carries the ball against Carolina Panthers cornerback Michael Jackson (2) in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Happily Ever After Perhaps…
Yet ironically, like the Raiders, the Jets haven’t seen much success this season either. Makes you wonder if Adams was better off staying with the Green Bay Packers and ending his career there.
