A move the entire NFL world has been anticipating seems like it will finally happen soon. That move is the Las Vegas Raiders trading Davante Adams. The star receiver has been at the center of trade rumors for over a year, and things have intensified recently.
The Raiders picked up a Week 4 win, while Adams watched from the sideline with an injured hamstring, then a day later, Las Vegas head coach Antonio Pierce liked an Instagram post of a report saying, “Don’t be surprised if Davante Adams has already played his last snap with the Raiders.”
It’s social media, though, so it’s could’ve been an accident or trolling from Pierce. Nevertheless, it sounded the alarm bells. On Tuesday, everyone learned the ringing bells weren’t a drill. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported Adams has told the team he prefers to be traded.
It has also been reported by Vincent Bonsignore that the Raiders are reaching out to teams to gauge interest in a possible trade. According to Rapoport, nothing is imminent, but both Adams and the Raiders are open to a possible move.
Naturally, this has just about every fan base, except Raiders fans, excited about the possibility of their team acquiring Adams. The two fan bases with the most excitement are the New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets, because Adams has a connection to both teams.
Should Saints trade for Davante Adams?
Adams landing in New Orleans makes a ton of sense. For starters, he and Derek Carr go back to Fresno State, where they were a dynamic duo. A big reason why the six-time Pro Bowler was acquired and extended by Las Vegas was to reunite him with Carr. Of course, that reunion didn’t last long, as Carr ended up in New Orleans a year later.
Beyond the connection between the two, the Saints desperately need depth in their wide receiver room. Through four games this season, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed have been doing all the work at the receiver position. Head coach Dennis Allen recently challenged other guys to step up, but New Orleans may just not have the right guys.
Adams is certainly the right guy; adding him to this already productive offense would take things to the next level. As fun as that is to think about, it’s likely not going to happen.
For starters, Adams is playing on a massive contract, with two years left on the deal after the season. His cap hit in the last two years of the contract is $44.1 million in each season, though there is an out and the end of the season. Anyone who has paid attention to the Saints knows they are always in a bad cap situation.
Conversely, anyone who has paid attention to the Saints know they always find a way to make things work in terms of cap space. So is there a path where New Orleans can actually roster Adams? Absolutely. From creating cap space to negotiating Vegas eats some of Adams’ salary, the Saints could find a way if they really wanted to.
In order for them to make that sacrifice, though, the Saints have to believe they are genuine contenders, and will be for the next couple of seasons. A team doesn’t trade away assets for a $40 million receiver to have him for 13 games; they acquire him because he could propel them to a Super Bowl.
With good health and Davante Adams, New Orleans very well could be a Super Bowl team. But it’s no secret this is a franchise in limbo, with several high-paid veterans, that is an underwhelming season away from a rebuild. Considering where the Saints stand with the elite players already on their roster, they’re unlikely to add another one like Davante Adams.
