In the upcoming weeks, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to trade Davante Adams. The franchise is reportedly seeking a second-round pick and an additional draft pick in return for the 32-year-old wideout, who has expressed his desire to move.
The New York Jets have emerged as the most likely landing spot for Adams; however, one famous personality does not want Adams to play for them.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recently discussed the Raiders star’s situation and advised him not to reunite with Aaron Rodgers in New York.
Stephen A. Smith on Davante Adams’ Potential Jets Move
Smith believes that Adams should not prefer a move to the Jets because of the uncertainty around Rodgers’ future. He mentioned that it would be similar to what happened to him when he left the Green Bay Packers to get traded to the Raiders.
Smith said this on ESPN’s “First Take”:
“Davante Adams… that would be stupid. Don’t do it. You left Green Bay even when Green Bay was willing to match the dollars that the Las Vegas Raiders offered you, in part because Aaron Rogers couldn’t make up his mind as to whether he wanted to stay playing football or retire. You went to the Vegas Raiders because you wanted to play with your boy [Derek Carr]. This ain’t [TV] show Friends. This is business, okay.”
Stephen A. further added that Adams should try to get traded to a team where the quarterback will be there for the long term. He floated the names of teams like the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs.
“You want to put yourself in a position to win. You need to be thinking about Buffalo with Josh Allen. You need to be thinking about Baltimore with Lamar Jackson. You think to be thinking about Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes,” said Smith.
He added, “Someplace where you know that you gonna have a quarterback past this season because who the hell knows what decision Aaron Rodgers is going to make… You can’t take that chance if you’re Davante Adams. Hell no! If you go to the Jets, that would be stupid.”
As of now, it does not seem like Adams will prefer a move to any team other than the Jets or New Orleans Saints. He wants to play with a quarterback that he is already familiar with, and if he is traded to a place where he did not want to, the star receiver might not restructure his contract and become a free agent after this season.
Davante Adams’ Contract Details
After being traded to the Raiders in 2022, Adams signed a five-year, $140 million deal with the franchise. Although he still has two years left on his current deal, Adams is owed a non-guaranteed amount of $36.25 million in each of those years.
Due to the non-guaranteed amount, any team acquiring him via trade this year can release the Raiders wideout after this season without taking any cap hit. If he gets traded at the trade deadline, he will count for only $8.6 million against the team’s salary cap in 2024.
"We are now at Wednesday afternoon and I would say that any Davante Adams trade is gonna wait another week now..
In the NFL most every big trade during the season occurs on a Monday or a Tuesday" @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/P4LgHULXHR
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 9, 2024
The wide belief around the league is that if Adams gets traded to his preferred destination, he will restructure his contract to stay on that team beyond this season.
New York is averaging just 18.6 points per game, and Rodgers is coming off a game in which he threw three interceptions. The Jets desperately need another playmaker to improve their offense. Despite Smith’s advice, Adams is almost assuredly getting traded to the Jets.
The Raiders’ Week 6 clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers will mark the third straight game Adams has missed due to a hamstring injury. The six-time Pro Bowler has played three games this season and has 18 receptions for 209 yards and a touchdown, averaging 11.6 yards per reception.
