Ratings for the “Madden NFL 24” are starting to come and while they aren’t the best gauge for how good players actually are, players around the NFL do take stock in them. Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams was part of the “99 Club” the last two years, which is for players given a 99 rating.
Despite that Adams had a strong year in 2022 where he had 1,516 receiving yards, 14 touchdowns and a career-high 15.2 yards per reception, Madden dropped his rating to 97, which was third among wide receivers behind Justin Jefferson (99) and Tyreek Hill (98).
While running back Josh Jacobs just got the news that he won’t be getting a long-term contract from the Raiders, he still had time to defend his teammate in a July 18 tweet. He called out Madden for dropping Adams’ rating despite the fact he didn’t see a dip in production on the field.
@EAMaddenNFL How does @tae15adams overall go down after having a career year?
A reason for Adams’ decline in the rating may have been due to his catch rate. He was second in the NFL with 180 targets but ninth in the league with 100 receptions. However, quarterback Derek Carr could be blamed for that as his 60.8% completion rate last season was 30th in the NFL.
Davante Adams Ranked Among Best WRs in the NFL
Madden wasn’t the only one to knock Davante Adams down a peg. At this time last year, Jeremy Fowler’s wide receiver rankings for ESPN had Adams listed at No. 1. This year, he has been replaced by Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson.
However, Adams only fell down to No. 2 as many around the NFL are still high on his ability.
“Adams, last year’s No. 1, did absolutely nothing to relinquish his crown,” Fowler wrote in the July 18 column. “Despite leaving quarterback Aaron Rodgers for Derek Carr and Jarrett Stidham in Las Vegas, he posted a near-career-high tally in yards (1,516) and led the NFL in touchdowns for the second time in three seasons (14). He became the NFL’s first wide receiver to earn first-team All-Pro honors for multiple franchises over back-to-back years.
“When picking one player to break down a cornerback to get open, Adams is still the top choice for many.”
It’s hard to argue against Jefferson. He was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year last season and led the league with 1,809 receiving yards. Adams is still well-regarded but his time as the top wide receiver in the league could be coming to an end.
Las Vegas Raiders Facing a Josh Jacobs Holdout
Though Josh Jacobs is still out on social media defending his Raiders teammates, it remains to be seen if he’ll still be part of the team this season. With Jacobs and the team failing to come to terms on a long-term contract, he can sit out of training camp without being fined.
He can also sit out of games without getting fined, but he would be missing out on the $10.1 million in salary that the franchise tag guarantees him. According to a July 17 tweet from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Jacobs went to the Raiders’ team facilities and waited in the parking lot prior to the deadline to sign a long-term deal. He clearly has an interest in staying in Las Vegas but if they aren’t willing to give him a deal, things could get ugly.
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Raiders RB Josh Jacobs Rips Madden Over Davante Adams Rating