Even though the Las Vegas Raiders had a dominant 63-21 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15, the playoffs are essentially out of reach. Star wide receiver Davante Adams joined the team because he wanted to win but Las Vegas is on pace to miss the playoffs in both of his first two seasons.
Adams will be 31 at the start of next season and likely only has a few more years left of being a high-level wide receiver. If he doesn’t like the direction the Raiders are going, the two sides could explore a trade to a contending team. Bleacher Reports Alex Ballentine pitched a trade that would send Adams to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2024 first-round pick.
“If the Raiders continue to be bogged down on offense down the stretch, it’s not hard to see Adams wanting to go to a team that could contend right away,” Ballentine wrote in the December 13 column.
“The Jets are still a logical landing spot. He could reunite with Aaron Rodgers in the Big Apple. However, the Ravens should be interested too.”
The Ravens are the No. 1 seed in the AFC this season and already have notable wide receivers in Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. Adding Adams would give them one of the best wide receiver corps in the NFL.
Why Would Las Vegas Raiders Trade Davante Adams?
For Davante Adams, it makes sense why he’d be interested in moving on. Even if the Raiders make the right coaching and general manager hires this offseason, this roster is still a year or two away from being legit contenders. Also, there are major question marks at quarterback.
Alex Ballentine detailed why it would make sense for Las Vegas to try and get something in return for Adams while he still has value.
“For the Raiders, it would be an opportunity to get out from under Adams massive contract while gaining another valuable piece to the puzzle of rebuilding,” Ballentine wrote. “Whoever the new general manager is would get an opportunity to draft another guy he likes without having to plan around a player he didn’t bring in.”
The Raiders gave up a first and second-round pick when they traded for Adams from the Green Bay Packers in 2022. Getting a first-round pick back for him isn’t the worst return.
Davante Adams May Not Want to Leave
Logically, Davante Adams going to a contender would be a wise move. He only has a few years left as an elite player and likely doesn’t want to waste his prime on a losing team. However, Adams has stated consistently that he doesn’t want to leave and wants to help build a winner.
Adams has endorsed interim head coach Antonio Pierce for the full-time job so he likes playing for the coach. If the Raiders give him the job going forward, that might make Adams want to stay. Now, if Las Vegas does solve the quarterback position, keeping Adams is much more appealing. An elite wide receiver is very important for an offense to have. The Raiders could be a quarterback away from being playoff contenders. The problem is that finding a great quarterback is incredibly difficult. This is a pivotal offseason for the future of the Raiders.
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