Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
A week after news of the Las Vegas Raiders trading for Davante Adams, the superstar wide receiver has finally officially been introduced with the team. Many believed that Adams forced a trade to the Raiders due to his relationship with quarterback Derek Carr. While the two are very close and played at Fresno State together, there was a bit more that went into it.
Adams revealed that he’s been a Raiders fan his whole life and that it’s a “dream come true” to play for the team. However, Carr being with the team certainly played a factor. Adams revealed what he thinks makes Carr a great quarterback while also discussing why the two have such a great rapport.
“Obviously, Aaron [Rodgers], we had an amazing trust level as well, so, I’m not slighting Aaron trusting me at all there, but that’s one of the things that I really loved about Derek is that he trusted me to throw the ball up,” Adams said during his introductory press conference. “Just trusting that I knew what I was doing and what I was talking about at all times. That helped a lot. Obviously, he’s an amazing arm talent. His confidence is through the roof. And I think a part of what helped establish that was throwing to guys like myself, Josh Harper, Isaiah Burse, Marcel Jensen and all those guys. We were his go-to guys at Fresno, and we gave him a reason to trust us.”
Carr has been starving a wide receiver of Adams’ caliber ever since he was drafted by the Raiders. The fact that he gets a star wide receiver who happens to be a close friend that he’s played with before just makes it even better for the quarterback.
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Charles Woodson Believes Adams Will Help Carr
At 29-years-old, Adams is at the peak of his prime. He’s coming off back-to-back years of making First-Team All-Pro. Having him should open up the offense in a major way for the Raiders. Team legend Charles Woodson offered his thoughts on what Adams brings to the team.
“The thing that makes him a special player is he’s really a guy that knows how to get separation,” Woodson told ESPN. “The most important thing between being a good and great receiver is about that separation. And more times than not, he’s going to be open.
“Down the road, that’s going to help Derek Carr.”
How Good Will the Raiders’ Offense Be?
Adams could be the missing piece for a Raiders offense that has been up and down over the past few years. The team was 10th in scoring offense in 2020 but fell to 18th in 2021. A big reason for the offensive struggles last season was the lack of a No. 1 wide receiver.
The Raiders now have arguably the best in the NFL in Adams. He now joins Hunter Renfrow, Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs, who have all made Pro Bowls. The team also hired a respected offensive mind at head coach in Josh McDaniels. There’s no reason this offense can’t be one of the ten best in the NFL in 2022.
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