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The 2024 NFL regular season is about to start and many eyes will be on the Las Vegas Raiders early on. That’s due to the situation involving star wide receiver Davante Adams.
He’s been the subject of trade rumors going back to last year and if the Raiders get off to a rough start, the chatter will only get louder ahead of the November 5 trade deadline. The New York Jets have been commonly linked to Adams due to his relationships with quarterback Aaron Rodgers but Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team pitched a trade that would send him to the Detroit Lions.
“Everyone wants to see Davante Adams on the Jets, and the idea of pairing Aaron Rodgers with a familiar face in Adams makes sense,” Valentino wrote in an August 29 column. “But the Detroit Lions are America’s team right now, so putting the 31-year-old on the league’s most fun offense is a better fit. Detroit should be all-in, and its WR2 situation isn’t up to snuff for a Super Bowl run.”
In this scenario, the Raiders would get a 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver Jameson Williams.
“Detroit’s cap situation is healthy enough to absorb Adams’ $16 million base salary right now, and then minor trimming in the future makes this a palatable deal,” Valentino wrote. “He has $0 in guarantees beyond this season, so a restructuring could also make his contract more favorable.
“In return, the Raiders clear off $17.5 million in 2024, then more than $36 million in 2025 and 2026. Taking a flier on Jameson Williams is what gets this deal across the finish line.”
This is a trade that could make some sense for the Raiders depending on how they value Williams.
Does Jameson Williams Still Have Upside?
Williams was a hot prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft after having 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior at Alabama. However, he tore his ACL during the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship, which caused him to miss 11 games during his rookie season and he barely made an impact.
Last season was his first healthy year in the NFL but he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. He ended up only having 24 catches for 354 yards. Williams was known for his speed at Alabama but it remains to be seen if he can still be as explosive since tearing his ACL.
That said, he hasn’t had a normal NFL season yet, and he was dominant at Alabama. In Valentino’s pitch, the Raiders get Williams and a second-round pick so they’d still get a high draft pick out of it if the young wide receiver never pans out.
Should Las Vegas Raiders Go Younger?
The pressure is on for the Raiders to have a solid start to the season. If they have a losing record by the trade deadline, it could be time to make some tough moves. Adams is turning 32 during the season and it’s hard to imagine the Raiders want to dedicate $44.1 million in salary cap space to him next year.
Whether or not the Raiders should go young and trade Adams depends on how the early portions of the season go. He may also push for a move if the team is losing more games than it’s winning. This will be a situation to watch up until the trade deadline.
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