Getty Aaron Rodgers with Davante Adams.
With the first round of the NFL Draft over, the Las Vegas Raiders‘ decision to trade their top draft picks for Davante Adams is looking even better. There was a big run of wide receivers as the top-six prospects were selected before the No. 22 overall pick the team traded to the Green Bay Packers. Perhaps the Raiders’ biggest need this offseason was wide receiver so they could’ve been very disappointed had they kept the first-round pick.
One of the biggest talking points heading into the draft was how the Packers would replace Adams at wide receiver. They haven’t made any significant additions in free agency to address the loss of Adams, which quarterback Aaron Rodgers can’t be thrilled about. There were rumors that he was aware that the star wide receiver was not staying with the team before he signed his new contract. However, that wasn’t true, according to Rodgers himself. He has avoided addressing the trade until now.
“It was a little surprising with Davante – obviously when I made my decision, I was still thinking he was going to come back,” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I was very honest with him about my plans and my future and where I saw my career going, as far as how many years I want to play. But I felt like he was going to be back, didn’t obviously turn out that way, but I have so much love for ‘Tae and appreciate the time we spent together and definitely wish him the best in Derek [Carr] in Vegas. But that’s a big hole to fill.”
“When I made my decision I was thinking Davante would be back but I have so much love for him & I wish him the best” ~@AaronRodgers12
ALL the latest Raiders news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Raiders newsletter here!
What Will Rodgers Do if Packers Don’t Give Him Another WR?
Last offseason, Rodgers dropped a bombshell when he tried to force a trade from the Packers. A big reason that he wanted to move on was due to the fact he felt like the team didn’t value his input. Though he signed a new contract with the team this offseason, he lost his best wide receiver and Green Bay used their two first-round picks on defensive players.
Wide receivers like Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown have been traded in recent weeks but the Packers weren’t able to make something happen. It’s possible that the team goes into the season without a clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver. That’s not something Rodgers would be thrilled about. The Packers have him locked up now but the quarterback is unpredictable and could look to move on again if they have a bad season.
Raiders Definitely Do Not Regret Adams Trade
The Raiders have to be thrilled with their decision to trade Adams. The team’s biggest needs were offensive line and wide receiver but all the best options in both position groups were gone before the No. 22 pick. Las Vegas also doesn’t have a second-round pick but this year’s draft is considered to be a weak class.
The Raiders have the best wide receiver in the NFL so they won’t be missing those picks. There are still some holes on the roster but they could find some gems in the later rounds. Some of the Raiders’ best players were not taken in the first two rounds of the draft.
READ NEXT: Ex-Raiders GM Mike Mayock Sounds Off on Antonio Brown