Two NFL groups excessive on Davante Adams’ want checklist of locations to land if he is traded — if not on the very high — are the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, league sources instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
Adams, 31, ideally want to play with a quarterback he is aware of, sources instructed Schefter. The Jets have Aaron Rodgers, Adams’ former teammate with the Inexperienced Bay Packers. The Saints have Derek Carr, Adams’ former teammate at Fresno State and with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders have knowledgeable different groups they’d “contemplate” buying and selling Adams for a bundle that would come with a second-round draft choose and extra compensation, league sources instructed Schefter on Tuesday.
There are also different groups that stay desirous about buying and selling for Adams. Regardless of any hypothesis, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will not be anticipated to be an choice, sources instructed Schefter on Wednesday.
Adams was acquired by the Raiders in a blockbuster commerce with the Packers for first- and second-round draft picks March 17, 2022. Adams agreed to the Raiders commerce partly to reunite with Carr however ended up taking part in just one yr with him in Las Vegas as Carr was launched by the Raiders after the 2022 season.
Adams performed the primary eight seasons of his NFL profession with Rodgers in Inexperienced Bay, throughout which period he was chosen to 5 Professional Bowls and was a two-time first-team All-Professional. He additionally was chosen to the Professional Bowl and was a first-team All-Professional in his solely season with Carr in Las Vegas.
Since being traded to the Jets in 2023, Rodgers has talked glowingly of Adams. Essentially the most telling remark got here in July at a celeb golf event in Lake Tahoe, when he instructed a reporter, “I like Davante Adams. I am unable to wait to play with him … once more.”
Rodgers has in contrast Garrett Wilson to Adams, however Wilson is off to a gradual begin — 20 receptions, 191 yards and 1 landing. The Rodgers-Wilson chemistry is a piece in progress; they’ve had a number of miscommunications throughout video games.
Jets coach Robert Saleh acknowledged Wednesday that Wilson and Rodgers nonetheless have not clicked but, however added, “I am nonetheless not fearful about it. They will get on the identical web page. Clearly, there are completely different coverages which are being run, however they will discover a approach to sync up.”
The Jets even have Allen Lazard and Mike Williams at receiver, every of whom is making $10 million this season. The Jets took a one-year flier on Williams, 30, banking on his means to rebound from ACL surgical procedure. He has progressed every week, and he is coming off his finest recreation — 4 catches for 67 yards.
On Wednesday, Saleh would not handle the Adams rumors instantly, besides to say the Jets are at all times seeking to improve the roster. He stated he is pleased with the group’s present broad receivers.
Lazard, like Rodgers a former Packers teammate of Adams, stated Wednesday, “I like Davante. He was one among my favourite teammates and one among my greatest mentors. I am so grateful to have the ability to share a discipline with him in the course of the time that we spent in Inexperienced Bay collectively, doing the issues we did.”
The Jets have the draft belongings to make a commerce. They nonetheless have their 2025 second-round choose, plus two picks within the third spherical, one among which they obtained from the Detroit Lions in a choose swap in the course of the 2024 draft.
Additionally they have disgruntled move rusher Haason Reddick, who’s holding out and has requested a commerce. The Jets have stated they will not commerce him, however they may have a change of coronary heart if introduced with a chance to rid themselves of the headache.
“In my view, why would not you wish to higher the group? He would positively make us higher, in my view, I feel. So I see it as a optimistic,” Jets cornerback D.J. Reed instructed ESPN on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Adams appeared on the “Up & Adams Present with Kay Adams” and was requested about Raiders coach Antonio Pierce’s verified Instagram account liking a publish from Sports activities Illustrated questioning whether or not Adams had performed his ultimate recreation with Las Vegas. The like was later eliminated.
“I have not heard from him. I have not talked to him,” Davante Adams stated when requested if he has heard from Pierce. “… Social media is a beast, so it is lots of people on the market that noticed it and questioning what is going on on and reaching out.”
Advised by Kay Adams that lots of people suppose he has performed his final down with the Raiders, Davante Adams stated, “All I can management is that this discuss we’re having proper right here and after we’re executed with this, all I can management is the subsequent factor that I am on to.”
Pierce was requested by reporters Wednesday about his involvement with the Instagram exercise, however he sidestepped the query, answering as a substitute, “Yeah, I am simply targeted on Denver,” referring to the Raiders’ Week 5 opponent.
Adams’ wage for this season is $17.5 million, with $13.5 million nonetheless owed by way of the top of the season. And whereas he’s beneath contract for 2025 and 2026, his annual wage jumps to $36.25 million for every of these seasons.
With such a hefty price ticket, a commerce companion would doubtless must get Adams to conform to a restructured contract.
The Jets presently have $15,350,706 in wage cap area and the Saints have $3,265,633, in accordance with NFLPA information.
Adams missed his first recreation as a member of the Raiders on Sunday with a hamstring harm suffered in apply Thursday. It marked the primary regular-season recreation Adams had missed since 2021, with the Packers. The harm is predicted to sideline Adams on a week-to-week foundation, league sources instructed Schefter over the weekend.
Adams has 18 catches for 209 yards and a landing by way of three video games this season. He has 890 receptions for 10,990 yards and 96 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons.
ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez, Wealthy Cimini and Katherine Terrell contributed to this report.