Can reuniting Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams save the New York Jets’ season?
That’s what owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich want to find out after acquiring Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders this week. Gang Green hopes the Rodgers-Adams connection — arguably the NFL‘s most effective QB-WR pairing since Peyton Manning-Marvin Harrison — can spark a playoff run.
As Adams prepares for his first game in green, let’s revisit his storied partnership with Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams’ Shared Packers History
Rodgers was already an established star with the Green Bay Packers before Adams entered the league in 2014. He’d been Green Bay’s starting quarterback for six seasons, won a Super Bowl and NFL MVP award, and was generally considered the most talented signal-caller in the league.
The Packers selected Adams out of Fresno State with the 53rd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. While he was part of Green Bay’s offense over the first two years of his career, Adams failed to top 500 receiving yards in either season. Jordy Nelson was Rodgers’ WR1 in 2014. When he suffered a torn ACL the following season, Randall Cobb and James Jones were more involved than Adams.
Adams finished with 997 receiving yards in 2016 but truly emerged in 2017, earning his first Pro Bowl nod while being ranked as the league’s 45th-best player by his peers. He inked a four-year, $58 million extension heading into the 2018 campaign before embarking on an utterly dominant run with Rodgers.
From 2018 through 2021, Adams averaged 111 catches, 1,238 yards, and nearly 12 touchdowns per season, earning Pro Bowl nods in all four years and first-team All-Pro berths in 2020 and 2021.
Rodgers’ statistical production was even more impressive. He won NFL MVP in 2020 and 2021 and led the league in interception rate from 2018 to 2021. In 2020, Rodgers paced all QBs in completion rate (70.7%), touchdowns (48), adjusted yards per attempt (9.57), and QBR (79.8).
All told, Rodgers and Adams spent eight seasons together in Green Bay, connecting for 622 catches, 7,590 yards, and 69 touchdowns in 108 games.
The Packers franchise-tagged Adams after the 2021 campaign, but he told Green Bay he would not play on the tender. In March 2022, the Packers sent Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for first- and second-round picks, reuniting him with his college quarterback, Derek Carr.
When Did the Jets Trade For Rodgers?
Without Adams as his top receiver, Rodgers struggled through the 2022 campaign. Allen Lazard worked as Rodgers’ WR1, while rookies Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson were still developing.
Rodgers threw 26 touchdowns against 12 interceptions and averaged just 217.4 passing yards per game as Green Bay limped to an 8-9 record. He finished 26th in QBR; only Russell Wilson, Mac Jones, Davis Mills, Carson Wentz, and Baker Mayfield were worse.
Despite signing an extension with the Packers in March 2022, Rodgers went public with his interest in playing for the Jets during the 2023 offseason.
New York reciprocated his interest. While the deal took some time to complete, the Jets officially traded for Rodgers on April 24, 2023, just before the 2023 NFL Draft.
- Jets acquired: Rodgers, 2023 first-round pick (No. 15), 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 170)
- Packers acquired: 2023 first-round (No. 13), 2023 second-round pick (No. 42), 2023 sixth-round pick (No. 207), conditional 2024 second-round pick
The conditional second-round pick going to Green Bay would’ve become a first-rounder had Rodgers played 65% of New York’s offensive snaps in 2023. Of course, Rodgers tore his Achilles on the Jets’ fourth play of the 2023 campaign, ending any hope the Packers had of an upgraded pick.
When Did New York Acquire Adams?
Without Rodgers, the Jets and a revolving cast of quarterback characters — Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian, and Tim Boyle — stumbled to a 7-10 record.
Things were supposed to improve with Rodgers back under center in 2024, but New York hadn’t exactly lit the world on fire through six games. Back-to-back wins against the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots brought Gang Green to 2-3 before disaster struck.
Rodgers and Co. couldn’t muster a touchdown against the Denver Broncos in a 10-9 loss in Week 4. The following week, the Jets lost to former New York and current Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold in London.
MORE: Everything To Know About the Adams Trade Between the Jets and Raiders
Johnson — the former US ambassador to the UK — was reportedly highly embarrassed by his club’s loss in England. He fired head coach Robert Saleh even though the Jets were still in the AFC playoff race.
Interim head coach Ulbrich made his own changes this week, demoting offensive coordinator and Rodgers confidant Nathaniel Hackett while installing passing game coordinator Todd Downing as the Jets’ new play-caller.
a little Friday morning treat for everyone😉@AaronRodgers12 ➡️ @tae15adams pic.twitter.com/gFmwNTIFmw
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 18, 2024
Ulbrich’s first game in charge was a close 23-20 loss to the division-rival Buffalo Bills on “Monday Night Football.”
The next morning, the Jets traded for Adams, formally announcing the acquisition on Oct. 15, 2024.
Gang Green agreed to send a conditional 2025 third-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for Adams. That draft choice can be upgraded to a second-round pick if Adams meets certain thresholds this season.
If Adams finishes the season as either a first- or second-team All-Pro or is on New York’s active roster for either the AFC Championship Game or the Super Bowl, Las Vegas will get a second-round selection instead of a third-rounder.
The Jets had two 2025 third-round picks when they entered negotiations with the Raiders. During the 2024 NFL Draft, New York general manager Joe Douglas sent the Detroit Lions a fourth-round pick in exchange for their 2025 third-round choice.
It’s unclear whether Gang Green traded their own third-rounder or Detroit’s pick in the Adams trade.
Can the Jets Still Make the Playoffs in 2024?
How much will Adams affect the Jets’ playoff chances? While BetMGM gave New York slightly shorter Super Bowl odds — from +3500 to +3000 — after the Adams trade, other sportsbooks like DraftKings didn’t alter the Jets’ odds.
Getting into the postseason is half the battle, and the AFC’s relative weakness still gives the Jets a chance there. PFN’s playoff model gives New York a 48.6% chance of entering the dance following their Week 6 loss to the Bills.
Gang Green’s defense remains strong. The Jets ranked third in EPA per on defense (-0.18) last season in 2023 and is eighth (-0.15) through six weeks in 2024. Only the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos have allowed fewer yards per play this season.
New York’s issues have been on offense, where Rodgers and Co. rank 22nd in scoring, yards per play, and first downs.
Adams should help. Although he might not be the player he once was, Adams still managed 1.97 yards per route run in 2023 (tied for 28th in the NFL) despite working with sub-par quarterback play. He put up 100 catches for 1,516 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns as recently as 2022.
