Davante Adams Fallout: Jets, Raiders, Johnson, Davis, Rodgers

The Jets‘ 23-20 loss may have felt like the catalyst for their long-awaited acquisition of Davante Adams, but the trade was “essentially in place before kickoff” on Monday night, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.

It would have been odd if Jets general manager Joe Douglas watched Allen Lazard and Garrett Wilson combine for 14 catches, 221 yards, and two touchdowns against the Bills and immediately thought he needed to upgrade his wide receiver corps. Lazard’s five touchdowns are tied for first in the NFL, while Wilson ranks second with 41 receptions on a league-high 67 targets. But the Jets have been interested in Adams dating back to last season, where they attempted to acquire him at the deadline for a higher price than they ultimately paid this year. Rather than add depth to fill out the wideout room, they added to the top of the rotation, which will likely squeeze Lazard back into a tertiary role, though Aaron Rodgers will still look for his 6-foot-5 frame in the red zone.

The Adams trade has reverberations down the depth chart, with Mike Williams already on the trade block. The Jets have also rarely played third-round rookie Malachi Corley, but the presence of a veteran mentor like Adams may help the rookie shore up the receiving fundamentals required to see the field in the NFL.

Here is the rest of the fallout from the Adams trade:

• With the deal all but confirmed, Adams flew from Las Vegas to New Jersey on Monday night, arriving at the Jets’ facility on Tuesday morning to get a physical examination and meet his new team, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
• Provided his hamstring checks out, Adams should be able to quickly acclimate to a familiar Nathaniel Hackett offense (albeit one now featuring QBs coach Todd Downing calling plays) in New York in time to make his Jets debut in primetime on Sunday night against the Steelers, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. Pittsburgh was constantly mentioned in wide receiver trade talks this year – first with Brandon Aiyuk, then with Adams – but instead, the AFC North team will have to face the All-Pro in his new home.
• Adams was one of the leaders in the Raiders‘ locker room coming into the season, but the drama surrounding his discontent and eventual trade request made his teammates “ready to move on,” according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.
• Raiders owner Mark Davis consulted with head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco but left the ultimate decision up to them, per The Athletic’s Diana Russini. Davis had been reluctant to deal Adams dating back to last trade deadline, when he turned down a bigger package from New York, but recognized it was time to move on less than a year later.
• Jets owner Woody Johnson admitted the obvious while at the NFL owners’ meeting in Atlanta: Adams’ relationship with Rodgers was a key factor in bringing the wideout to New York. That connection will also help Adams slide into a major role in the Jets offense right away, joining Wilson to become one of the deadliest receiver duos in the league.
• Johnson also said that “thinking is overrated” when asked for his perspective on the Jets’ championship hopes after a 2-4 start, according to Russini. The Jets will attempt to prove skeptics wrong by rebounding from a three-game losing streak, one that has the futures of some of their key principals up in the air. With Adams soon to debut for his third NFL team, it will be worth monitoring Rodgers’ thoughts on playing beyond 2024. Past Rodgers indecision has affected Adams’ choices in the past, and a recent report suggested the All-Pro wideout was leery of the QB’s future in New York. But the Jets now have Adams’ through-2026 contract, giving Rodgers more incentive to stick around.