A couple of weeks ago, it seemed inevitable that Davante Adams would be traded by the Las Vegas Raiders and it would happen quickly. However, there has been little movement on that front and Adams is about to miss his third game in a row with a hamstring injury.
Since he requested a trade, the New York Jets fired their head coach and New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr got injured. Both teams were considered Adams’ favorite destinations and they’ve both gone 0-2 since the trade request.
In a major twist, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is now reporting that an Adams trade is no longer inevitable.
“In a fluid and unpredictable situation that seems to change weekly, Davante Adams could wind up staying with the Las Vegas Raiders rather than being traded, league sources told ESPN,” Schefter wrote in an October 12 column.
“Adams has received interest from other teams, but as one source told ESPN, it is not ‘phone-is-ringing-off-the-hook interest’ for the six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.”
From the Raiders’ perspective, they’re likely motivated to still get a deal done but it sounds like Adams isn’t opposed to staying, especially due to some recent quarterback news.
Davante Adams Is a Fan of Aidan O’Connell
Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce announced this week that Aidan O’Connell is taking over as the starting quarterback in place of Gardner Minshew. That’s a move that Adams supports, per Schefter.
“Another factor as to why Adams might not necessarily be moved — and sources insisted it should not be discounted or overlooked — is that he is a big supporter of Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who was named the new starter this week,” Schefter wrote.
In fact, Adams might be higher on O’Connell than anybody realized.
“During the Raiders’ final four games last season, O’Connell threw eight touchdown passes and no interceptions,” Schefter added. “Las Vegas still signed Gardner Minshew during the offseason and named him the starting quarterback, a move for which Adams had comfort.
“But Adams is a big believer in O’Connell and privately has called him one of the best quarterbacks with whom he has played, according to sources. Playing with O’Connell is said to be appealing to Adams, who will sit out his third straight game Sunday because of a hamstring injury.”
Now, if O’Connell was truly that good, he almost certainly would’ve beaten out Minshew in training camp. However, perhaps he’ll be much better when he’s the starting quarterback. If he looks good and Adams is still on the roster, the Raiders may change their mind and keep the star wide receiver.
Should Raiders Still Trade Adams?
Regardless of what happens, it doesn’t make much sense to keep Adams if the Raiders can at least get a third-round pick. He needs a new contract and is turning 32 this season. Even if the Raiders can make the playoffs this season, they aren’t going on a Super Bowl run.
The 2025 offseason needs to be all about finding a franchise quarterback and having more draft picks will help achieve that. That said, for a fourth-round pick, it makes more sense to keep Adams. Having a veteran star wide receiver is great for a young quarterback and it’s easy to see him buying into whichever rookie quarterback the Raiders end up drafting.
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Major Twist in Raiders’ Davante Adams Trade Saga Leaked