Adams, Rodgers Each Break Silence on Reuniting as Raiders

Adams on Rodgers Drama

Getty Davante Adams #17 congratulates Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers after scoring a two-point conversion during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park on November 03, 2019 in Carson, California.

After weeks of swirling rumors, Davante Adams and his former Green Bay Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers both opened all the way up about a reunion.

Adams had hinted at his feelings previously, but over Pro-Bowl weekend the wide receiver told Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he would stump for Rodgers and that reuniting with his old QB would be a “dream scenario.”

“Davante Adams said ‘one million percent’ he would advocate to @Raiders bringing in Aaron Rodgers,” Bonsignore tweeted on Sunday, February 5. “Said playing with him again would be a ‘dream scenario.'”


Rodgers, Raiders Fans Appear Ready to Embrace Move to Las Vegas

Rodgers, Adams, Packers

GettyQB Aaron Rodgers (left) and WR Davante Adams (right) of the Green Bay Packers celebrate a touchdown during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field on December 6, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The Raiders fan base also appears to be on board with the notion, as does Rodgers. The quarterback spoke to the possibility of a trade to Las Vegas during an interview with reporter Amanda Balionis over the weekend at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament, which he happened to win.

Balionis asked Rodgers if there was a “favorite color, favorite city” on his mind for next year.

“I’m just gonna say that the predominant team that we hear as we’re walking is Raiders,” Rodgers responded with a chuckle. “A lot of Raider fans are encouraging me, a lot of ‘Davante misses you’ comments. So we’re having some fun with it.”


Adams’ Tune on Playing With Rodgers Flipped 180º Inside One Year

derek carr davante adams

GettyQB Derek Carr (left) and WR Davante Adams (right) of the Las Vegas Raiders stand on the sideline during a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings at Allegiant Stadium on August 14, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

It was less than one year ago that Adams was demanding a trade, turning down extension offers and threatening to sit out if the Packers didn’t acquiesce to his request to be dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders, where his college quarterback and long-time friend Derek Carr was the starter. One season later, Carr is on his way out of the desert as the scapegoat for the team’s failures in Josh McDaniels‘ first year as head coach, and the Raiders find themselves staring down the barrel of a (shudder) … Jarrett Stidham year.

Whatever Adams hoped to find in the City of Sin, it probably wasn’t a pairing with a former fourth-round pick out of Auburn University with two career starts under his belt — both of which came late last season, by the way, and both of which resulted in Raiders’ losses.

After Tom Brady removed his name from the running for any and all jobs by abruptly retiring last week, Las Vegas finds itself amidst a quarterback conundrum. The team selects No. 7 overall in the coming NFL Draft, but will have to give up some serious assets to move up high enough to guarantee a shot at one of the three projected franchise signal callers in the 2023 class.

Pro Football Focus‘ top three free agent quarterbacks are, in order: Lamar Jackson, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones. Franchise tags are possible outcomes for all three, while the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants appear keen to keep Jackson and Jones in-house.

That leaves the Raiders with two real options if they hope to win this season, which based on their roster construction and free agency moves in 2022, they absolutely do. Either Las Vegas signs the injury-prone Jimmy Garoppolo to a free agent deal, who is at best a lateral move from Carr, of they pursue a trade for someone better. NFL teams aren’t typically in the business of dealing high-end quarterbacks, meaning Rodgers is far and away the Raiders’ best option this offseason for immediate success in 2023.

The Packers should be able to use all of the above factors to demand a high asking price of the Raiders in any potential trade, even despite Rodgers’ sizable contract. Estimates of what Rodgers might afford Green Bay in a deal have varied, but a bidding war between the Raiders and New York Jets — another franchise rumored to be highly interested in acquiring Rodgers — would probably begin at a first-round pick in 2023 (No. 7 for Las Vegas, No. 13 for New York) and move upwards from there.

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