To no surprise, several potential suitors have emerged for Davante Adams. The Raiders All-Pro is on board with a trade, and Vegas has begun reaching out to teams which could be interested in acquiring him midway through the campaign. 
The Browns should also be labeled as a candidate to add Adams, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com writes. Sitting at 1-3 on the year, the team has work to do on offense to contend for a postseason berth. Adding a premier wideout would certainly help in that regard, although the status of Amari Cooper would become a key factor in any serious Adams pursuit on the part of the Browns.
Cooper’s short- and long-term future was a talking point during the offseason, one in which he agreed to a revised contract. The pending free agent was part of the Browns’ offer to the 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk, but the second-team All-Pro did not want to be dealt to Cleveland. As such, Cooper has remained atop the team’s WR depth chart in 2024, his third season since being dealt by the Cowboys. The 2022 and ’23 campaigns resulted in a total of 2,410 yards and 14 touchdowns, showcasing the former first-rounder’s continued ability to operate as a No. 1 receiver.
Cooper’s contract status makes him a logical candidate to be dealt ahead of the 2024 deadline (November 5), especially if the Browns are unable to rebound from their poor start. Adams will require a reworked deal upon arrival with a new team, however, and any long-term commitments from Cleveland will need to keep in mind the outstanding compensation due to quarterback Deshaun Watson. Two years remain on Watson’s deal, and all of his remaining money is fully guaranteed. Cleveland made a notable receiver addition in the spring by trading for and extending Jerry Jeudy; the former Broncos first-rounder is on the books through 2027.
Elsewhere on the Adams front, both The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and veteran insider Jordan Schultz report the Jets are seen around the league as the frontrunner to finalize a trade. New York represents an obvious landing spot given the mutual interest in a reunion between Adams and former Packers teammate Aaron Rodgers. The pair spent eight years together in Green Bay, and both spoke during the offseason about the possibility of teaming up with the Jets.
As expected, New York is one of the teams which has called about Adams’ availability in a deal. The Raiders – believed to want a compensation package beginning with a second-round pick – have also been linked to the Bills, Saints and Steelers regarding a trade for the six-time Pro Bowler. The Cowboys are not expected to pursue Adams, although Vegas should still have a number of offers to choose from in the near future. Further details have emerged regarding how the situation has reached this point.
Adams was away from the Raiders during training camp due to the birth of his first son. He was absent for 10 days, a period which Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes was longer than the team expected (subscription required). Upon return, Adams made it clear he preferred not to play in Vegas’ second preseason contest. Head coach Antonio Pierce replied that he expected the three-time All-Pro to play if healthy. Adams was listed as injured one day later.
As the Fresno State product rehabs the legitimate hamstring injury which sidelined him for Week 4, Pierce remains at the center of this ongoing saga. The first-year head coach liked an Instagram post suggesting Adams would be dealt, something which sparked the latest round of speculation regarding a move being made. When asked to comment on the matter, Pierce declined (h/t Tafur).
Healthy or otherwise, Adams could easily find himself out of the lineup for Week 5 as the Raiders seek out a suitable trade agreement. The relationship between Adams and Pierce has been strained recently, and a change of scenery for the former could be beneficial to all involved. It will be interesting to see how the trade market emerges over the coming days.
I’d bet anything he’s not going to approve a trade to the Browns. Unless they overpay and give him a fully guaranteed extension.
I can’t imagine he’d approve a trade to Cleveland, either. Aside from being in the same division as KC, he’s already in a better situation in LV. The QB play is better. The weather is better. I think Vegas, as weird as this feels to say, might be slightly better run.
I completely agree, Cleveland would have to make him the highest paid non-QB and guarantee most all of it. Even then, I don’t know. I don’t fault anyone for being all about the money; but he would fade into obscurity there, which I’m not sure he’d want?
I think the Jets will land him. I’d love to see him on the Saints. New Orleans,Buffalo and Washington could be in play. I still expect he ends up on the Jets, though.
I do not believe that Adams has a no trade clause in his contract. He really does not have a say in who he gets traded too. The Raiders, Adams, and the NFL will ensure that he is traded to the proper situation and storyline.
You are correct. For some reason I thought he had one. It would be sad to see him go to the Browns though.
It doesn’t matter if he has a no trade or not. What team is going to give up significant trade value for a player who doesn’t want to play for them?
The NY Jets come to mind…at least without a sizable new contract (see current Reddick situation).
When the player wants his money, he will play.
I’d rather have Minshew throwing the ball to me than Watson
So what? Browns ship Amari to chiefs for picks and replace him with Davante? Sounds….interesting???
I would be thrilled if KC traded some picks away for Amari. Mahomes and Kelce just Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, sounds like an exciting show to me.
I would think at some point there could be some secret collusion going on where no team trades any offensive upgrades to KC. They went cheap again at WR and now they can wallow in their mess and it probably guarantees a new champion this year. They are hurting right now. The defense has to be even better then before.
Sounds idealistic to a degree. Every team is wanting a best possible deal sometimes even to or from their own rival or enemy like what bills did to chiefs for them to get Worthy in the draft
Weren’t Adams and Pierce best buds the end of the ‘23 season?
Did Rodger cause turmoil in that relationship?
Would agree Jets and Saints are the primary landing possibilities, with only the Saints maybe playoff bound, though I wonder if the Rams or Jags might jump on the speculation train.
Bills, Steelers could bring playoff potential yet KC (on maybe some creative 3 way trade deal) could net Adams a SB.
My question would be – what’s Adams focus, Playoffs – Championship or Friendship
I dunno, the Jets have a chance, at least as much as New Orleans does. Tampa and Buffalo may win those respective divisions, and if that happens, New York and New Orleans both seem like the second best teams in their divisions. There are two questions here in regards to that: do we think that Atlanta or Miami is a bigger threat to mess that up?You have to figure that those divisions aren’t deep enough to send three teams to the playoffs. It’s still early, so this picture could change. But I would consider New Orleans and New York to be in similar positions right now in terms of playoff expectancy.
Missed your second question……
Atlanta could definitely give NO and Tampa a run, that group has improved
Miami is questionable unless Tua plays the season after his return unscathed, which I’d not put money on.
And yes season is still new…..lots of possibilities in the East and SE
The Jets lost to a quarterback that completed 7 passes for MINUS 7 yards in the first half. What makes you think they’re any good. Rodgers is washed up. He was showing signs his last year in GB and then missing a full year
I think it’s pretty obviously more an offensive line issue than a Rodgers issue.
1. Weather wasn’t the best. It was pretty sloppy on both sides due to rain
2. Denver won 10-9 Jets kicker missed a fg. Not really Rodgers fault on that one.
Rodgers scored 9 points. How is that not his fault? 9 points isn’t good. It’s hard to win in the league without very good quarterback play and Rodgers is an average quarterback right now in his career. It’s rather obvious
Rodgers actually played pretty well, given the circumstances. He had two bad throws that I saw that were completely his fault. Denver’s defense is great and the Jets’ line is average. Their receivers are okay. Wilson’s biggest issue is consistency and being where he’s supposed to be. If that improves, then the offense will as well, and that’s completely possible as a fixable issue. Rodgers does look like he’s a bit stiffer to me, but he still has excellent command on the field. I don’t think that he’s washed yet.
Regardless of whether you do think that Rodgers is to blame for that loss, it’s still just one game. The Jets looked good in their two wins. I don’t think that you can write them off yet. If the Jets DO acquire Adams, then that should be expected to be a near instant fix for their biggest issue out wide, which is the consistency needed out of a number one playmaker.
9 points. He’s basically a game manager. Jets will try to win with defense and running the ball.
The reason that Rodgers was throwing was because they couldn’t run the ball. He made all of the plays on offense in that game, pretty much by himself, with the exception of one spectacular catch by Lazard (on a perfectly thrown ball). Rodgers was certainly not the issue in that game.
In addition, Rodgers and the offense probably would have looked better if Wilson ran the routes that he was supposed to. At least two times, Wilson was not in the proper place when the ball came. He’s still their number one, and quite talented, but he needs to be consistent to be a reliable target. Wilson has had this issue before, which is what holds him back from being a league leading receiver. In the context of this discussion, this is the area where an Adams acquisition would, on the field, immediately improve the offense-despite the Jets’ talent at the number one spot.
I will reiterate my statement earlier, however. Even if we take your position as being correct, it’s still just one game. It’s far too small a sample size to extrapolate for the rest of the season. Rodgers looked fine in the Jets’ other games, if a bit slower and more stiff than we’re used to.
Adams may like Pierce, but that doesn’t mean he likes them bringing in the Bears’ punted OC to design the offense and doing so little to address right tackle and quarterback.
I think that Adams and Pierce both like each other and get along. I think that Adams feels that Pierce is going to be a great coach however, that will take a couple of years. I also think that the Raiders were serious about moving up in the draft for a QB (Daniels) and Adams was excited for that. Clearly that did not happen.
The Raiders are now in the most boring QB battle of all time and it’s not a benefit at all to a player like Adams. The organization was unable to meet Davante’s expectations and it’s only fair to let him go to a better situation. It’s also only fair to let the Raiders get proper compensation.
It’s not personal, strictly business.
I think the Saints are the front runners. The ONLY reason he accepted a trade to Raiders is to play with his college QB Derek Carr. I don’t view the Jets as the front runner. There is way too much drama with that team. There is all the familiarity with all his former teammates but I wouldn’t want to go there.
Well they are the favorites no matter what you think about the amount of drama they have.
I dunno, doesn’t getting rid of Cooper for Adams seems a bit…redundant?
The Browns are a Dumpster Fire because of the Qb situation….why would Adams want to go tbere
They’re a dumpster fire because Haslam is a meddling idiot, as is Tepper, as is the current Jerry Jones. Having the money to buy a football team does not mean you know football personnel.
One team was willing to spend the money & picks for a WR and I can’t see them not being willing to do the same here … which would help Fields tremendously
Riddick and a 4th for Adams. Riddick was traded for a 3rd that could become a 2nd with playing time. This seems like fair compensation to me.
Why would the Raiders want a guy who is sitting out because he wants a huge raise and he plays a position that isn’t a huge need for the Raiders
Because they’re the Raiders?
Such a Jets move. Pair a washed up QB with a washed up WR. And they wonder why they never win.
I think it’s too early to call Adams a washed up WR. Adding him to the Jets will also make Rodgers look much better. As a Bears fan it sucked watching those two light us up for years so I am not a fan of either. That being said I think both still have some good football left in them.
Still not going to fix that OL.
I heard the same thing with Lazard and Cobb
Adams isn’t washed up. He still plays at the same level he was in GB, the only difference is he doesn’t have the same level of QB play imo. Personally I don’t think adding Adams is going to ‘fix’ the Jets offense, if anything I think the Jets would look even more foolish if they bring in Adams and still miss the playoffs this season.
Why did Aaron have 42 passing attempts on a rainy day, in a game that ended 10-9? If they just ran the ball more they could have possibly won that game. I watched Aarons interview and he said “well all week the weather updates said it was going to be 65′ and sunny and it just wasn’t that way on game day”. Well just because you planned for nice weather Mr. Rodgers doesn’t mean that you stick to the game script when the weather is clearly telling you to adapt.
Thanks for reading.
Nope. He’s a 32-year old WR who no longer gets open as he did. And Rodgers….comically unable to be anything more than a game manager. If the Jets want to watch Rodgers force balls into tight coverage to get Adams one on one throws….go ahead and trade for him.
Adams is 31, he won’t turn 32 until the start of Week 17. 12/24
DeVious asked why the Jets flung the ball in the rain. Denver stopped the New York ground game all day, plus New York used all its time-outs when the Broncos had the ball before Lutz’s missed FG gave the Jets a chance to win it at the gun.
Jets have plenty of pass-catchers already and aren’t going to throw away their season for what the mouth-breathers on the tabloids and talk radio want.
Adams isn’t going to fix the Browns – thus it would be a waste of picks and money.
Why wouldn’t the Bills be interested?
Cap space?
Jets, or any other team would be foolish to give up high compensation for Adams. He’s in his 10th season, will be turning 32 this season and costs a lot of money. That all being said, he’s not at the peak of his career, in fact he’s past his prime. A team will be lucky to get a year of high quality play from him before the ‘old man’ injuries start to crop up. The hamstring pulls, groin pulls, ankle sprains, needing constant ‘maintenance’ days off to help preserve his body. Speed and quickness are already slowing down.
I would not trade more than a conditional 3rd rounder for him.
It wouldn’t be the first time the Jets and Browns have battled for the “Buyers Remorse” Award.
49ers make sense, the Commanders could pull it off as well… maybe the Lions?