Getty Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams.
It’s not often that a player considered the best in the NFL at his position switches teams. Luckily for the Las Vegas Raiders, Davante Adams wanted to join the team and he’s widely considered the best wide receiver in the NFL. Players like Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs might argue that they’re the best wide receiver in the NFL but the consensus is in favor of Adams.
Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson may have had a case that he was the best wide receiver in the league during his peak. He’s been out of the NFL for a while now but has remained involved and frequently trains with of the league’s top players. There was a question posed by Pro Football Focus asking if Adams is in fact the best wide receiver in the NFL. Johnson had a blunt response to the question. Warning: his comments could be considered NSFW.
As a six-time Pro Bowler, Johnson knows a thing or two about great wide receiver play. He seems confident that Adams is the best in the league so that’s likely how a lot of former players feel.
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Is Adams the No. 1 WR in NFL?
It’s hard to argue against the idea of Adams being the best of all the wide receivers. He has 2,927 receiving yards over the past two seasons with 29 touchdown receptions. The only argument against him is that he played with one of the greatest quarterbacks ever in Aaron Rodgers throughout his entire career. Despite that, CBS Sports ranked Adams as the top wide receiver heading into 2022:
The Raiders may or may not have the offensive line and defensive depth to justify deep-playoff hopes, but it’s no wonder they paid up to land Adams, and not just because he’s friends with Derek Carr. The longtime Packers star has played a full season just twice in his eight-year career, but when he’s on the field (even banged up), he’s the total package, averaging over 90 yards per game in three of his last four seasons. He gets open at every level, has reliable hands and shows up on clutch downs. Any concern about his split from Aaron Rodgers should be mild if his public and private chemistry with Carr is any indication of their future together.
Can Adams Keep up the Production Without Rodgers?
One major similarity that Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and Rodgers have is that they both take time to get comfortable with new wide receivers. However, there won’t be a feeling-out period with Carr and Adams. The two played together at Fresno State and worked out together while they’ve been in the NFL.
They’ve also been putting in a ton of work this offseason. Adams will be the focal point of the Raiders’ offense and he’ll see a lot of targets. Carr isn’t Rodgers but he’s still a very good quarterback. Adams won’t see a huge decrease in numbers now that he’s in Las Vegas. If anything, he might have an easier time dominating as he’s got elite weapons next to him in Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller.
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