The positive vibe for the Las Vegas Raiders after their Week 4 victory against the Cleveland Browns has quickly faded. Star wide receiver Davante Adams has asked for a trade, and the team seems open to it.
Many NFL teams would likely pursue Adams, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Raiders want a second-round pick and additional compensation, appealing primarily to contending teams. Kristopher Knox from Bleacher Report suggested a trade sending Adams to the Dallas Cowboys for quarterback Trey Lance and a conditional second-round pick.
While Dallas aims for playoff success, the Raiders have little reason to retain Adams, especially with his looming $44.1 million salary cap hit next season. Their past trade for Adams, intended to boost a playoff team, has instead turned into a disappointing saga, underscoring the need for the Raiders to move on swiftly.
Will Raiders Actually Trade Davante Adams?
At this point, the Raiders have little reason to hold onto Adams. Even if they secure a wild card playoff spot, they won’t be serious Super Bowl contenders with Gardner Minshew at quarterback. With Adams’ salary cap hit set to rise to $44.1 million next season, the team was likely planning to move on after this year.
If they wait until the offseason to trade him, his value could drop. The longer they hold on, the less they might get in return. The Raiders should be eager to finalize a deal quickly, as they don’t want Adams to become a distraction. Despite being a talented player who has exceeded 1,000 receiving yards in consecutive seasons, a young, rebuilding team doesn’t need a wide receiver approaching 32.
A Failed Experiment
When the Raiders acquired Adams in the 2022 offseason, they had just made the playoffs and hired Josh McDaniels as head coach, hoping that pairing him with quarterback Derek Carr would lead to success. However, the plan backfired, as the Raiders only won six games in Adams’ first season, leading to Carr’s release. They then signed Jimmy Garoppolo as the starting quarterback, which proved to be a disastrous decision.
Las Vegas managed just eight wins last season, and this year isn’t faring much better with a 2-2 record, including a recent blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers. Adams missed the Week 4 game against the Browns, yet the Raiders still secured a win, indicating they can succeed without him. This situation highlights a failed experiment from the start, and it’s time for the Raiders to cut their losses.
