The Las Vegas Raiders trading Davante Adams seems inevitable. The star wide receiver requested a trade and the team appears willing to grant him the request.
However, they aren’t going to rush a trade if they can’t make a good deal. There’s talk of the Raiders wanting a second-round pick but if they hope to compete this season, they may want to get a player in return.
The San Francisco 49ers have two expensive wide receivers and Brandon Aiyuk seems like the most logical fit in Las Vegas due to his connection to head coach Antonio Pierce. Despite that, Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated pitched the idea of swapping Adams for Deebo Samuel.
“Which brings us back to Samuel. It will be extremely difficult for the 49ers to be able to afford both him and Aiyuk long-term,” Cohn wrote in an October 3 column. “There even has been lots of speculation that the 49ers will have to trade Samuel next year.
“So why not trade him now for a superior wide receiver in Adams? Then they could keep Adams for two more seasons or they could release him next year — he has zero guaranteed money left on his deal after 2024.”
Does This Trade Make Sense for Raiders?
From the 49ers’ perspective, this would be a great trade to make. Samuel is talented but he’s injury prone and his lackluster route running ability limits his upside. What made Samuel All-Pro player was his ability to make plays in the running game, but he only has 27 rushing yards on the season.
Now, Samuel is a very talented player so adding him would help mitigate the loss of Adams. That said, the 49ers would need to add additional compensation. Samuel’s contract isn’t ideal but it also expires after the 2025 season so it wouldn’t be a huge commitment. Samuel and a fourth-round pick for Adams might be enough to move the needle for the Raiders.
Latest Update on Davante Adams Trade Rumors
Raiders owner Mark Davis typically doesn’t get heavily involved in personnel matters but when one of the faces of the team requests a trade, it’s hard not to be. Adams is one of the biggest stars in the NFL and he’s a big part of Las Vegas’ marketing.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Davis isn’t going to sign off on a trade unless the trade compensation is strong.
“The Raiders have let interested teams know that team owner Mark Davis will not accept anything less than a second-round draft pick in return for Adams, along with additional compensation that could be in the form of a draft pick or a player, according to league sources,” Schefter wrote in an October 5 column.
“The New York Jets and New Orleans Saints are considered the two favorites to land Adams, but they are hardly the only teams interested in the three-time All Pro. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens also are monitoring the Adams situation and could get into the mix, according to sources.”
The Raiders have a month before the trade deadline so they can afford to wait things out until they get the offer they want.
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Wild Trade Proposal Swaps Davante Adams for Star WR With Unique Skillset