A resolution to the Davante Adams situation could be coming soon, but the Raiders may well need to make a concession on one of two fronts. The team is asking for a package involving a second-round pick in an Adams trade, and Vegas hopes to avoid retaining any of his remaining 2024 salary.
If the Raiders are to have their asking price in terms of draft capital met – something they are reportedly insistent on – a lower financial cost will be needed for an acquiring team. Veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports teams interested in adding Adams view it as “unrealistic” to send a Day 2 pick to Vegas while also taking on the remainder of Adams’ salary. That figure would sit at $11.92MM if a deal were to be worked out this week without any retention. 
CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones confirms Adams’ trade market will likely force the Raiders to eat some of the six-time Pro Bowler’s outstanding compensation before a deal is made. Vegas obviously prefers to avoid doing so, but with nearly $27MM in cap space the team has the flexibility to take that route provided it becomes conditional for a swap to take place. A number of suitors are in place, but the field of contenders could widen if the financial cost of an Adams acquisition were to be lowered.
As expected, the Jets and Saints are at the top of the list regarding teams to watch in this case, with New Orleans having been the most aggressive in the pursuit of an agreement. A weekend report stated Adams has concerns about quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ future in New York beyond 2024, something which could factor into a reunion between the two. Adams is under contract through 2026, but the absence of guaranteed money after the current year essentially makes him a rental as things stand.
If the three-time All-Pro were to work out an extended stay with a new team, a restructure would be necessary. That, in turn, would no doubt include at least some guaranteed money being added for 2025 while lowering his future cap hits. With Adams, 31, running out of time to land future big-money contracts, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports predicts his financial outlook will be a key factor in determining where he lands (in addition to trade terms being worked out between the Raiders and an acquiring team, of course).
Robinson adds Adams is no longer viewed as highly in league circles as he once was. The Fresno State product topped 1,100 yards five times from 2018-23, and his 69.7 yards per game average this season nearly falls in line with his career average. Still, his age and the hamstring injury which sidelined him for the past two games – but is expected to fully healed in time for Week 6 – threaten to limit how much teams like the Jets or Saints (in addition to other potential suitors like the Steelers, Bills, Ravens and Commanders) are willing to commit.
When speaking to the media on Monday, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said the situation has not changed regarding Adams’ health or his trade status (video link). Keeping in line with his previous stance on the matter, he declined to comment on the reasoning behind Adams’ trade request from last week, something which emerged amongst reports Vegas was making contact with other teams. Whether or not an agreement is worked out with one of them shortly remains a major midseason storyline.
3-2-1 Jets to the rescue!
Always trade a guy a year too early than a year too late….
Why would the Raiders be opposed to paying most of his remaining salary for this season? It’s not like they’re contenders and need cap space for acquiring rentals for a playoff push.
My guess would be that decision is coming from the very top and ownership doesn’t want to pay the extra money.
Where it gets tricky is it is basically costing them a million a week to keep him as well..
Cap space can rollover to next season
Vegas should do it. They figure to draft a quarterback soon anyway, who will be on a cheap deal. The roster could use extra investment to help the incoming signal-caller; a high end pick is more valuable than a bit of salary to that end.
As a side note…not that I’m necessarily suggesting that the Raiders use their second rounder for that specific purpose, but the last time they drafted a quarterback in the second round, they got nine years of starts out of it.
A 2nd round pick isn’t worth $12mm. Anything they give up is what they are paying for the pick while giving away Adams in the process. He has to be worth something.
His fake hamstring injury will hamstring him from leaving Las Vegas. Classic
NFL contracts are pretty complex with several complicating factors involved so I might be missing something that changes the calculus here but to me it seems like the Raiders lose leverage with every week that goes by. There’s no guaranteed money on Adams’ deal after this season but if they don’t trade him they either keep him next year for about 30 million or cut him with a significant dead money hit. Neither of those scenarios make much sense at all so they basically need to trade him.
In terms of a return on the trade I get the aspect of posturing and sticking to your guns in negotiations but looking at the Raiders’ roster objectively they need to acquire maximum volume of assets and not maximum value of assets. I think a 3rd and conditional 6th or a 3rd in the next draft with a 4th in the 2026 draft would be a better package for them then getting a 2nd anyway.