Davante Adams

Rams Sign WR Davante Adams

March 9th, 2025 at 11:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

11:40pm: Adams’ deal contains an $8MM 2025 base salary and a $16MM number in 2026, per ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop, who adds a more notable number due in March 2026. Adams will be due a $6MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. While Adams’ 2025 base salary is guaranteed, the Rams would appear to have something of an out in 2026.

Though, Barshop adds Adams landed a $12MM signing bonus. Half of that would account for dead money if the Rams cut him in 2026. This still looks like a wait-and-see situation, as SI.com’s Albert Breer adds only the $20MM from the signing bonus and 2025 base is guaranteed.

5:55pm: Davante Adams‘ West Coast aspirations are coming true. The Rams are bringing in the All-Pro wide receiver, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The team has announced the signing.

The Rams are giving the decorated receiver a two-year, $46MM deal, Rapoport adds. He will see $26MM guaranteed. This is quite the haul for a player who will be 33 by year’s end. But Adams was by far the most productive receiver who changed teams last season, outshining Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins and Mike Williams. Adams posted 854 yards in 11 Jets games and has secured another big payday.

Officially releasing Adams last week, the Jets made the three-time All-Pro a street free agent. That allowed him to speak with teams before the legal tampering period, which starts Monday. The Rams, who have not yet separated from Cooper Kupp, are spending big bucks to help Matthew Stafford after his recent recommitment to the team.

Linked to a West Coast landing spot weeks ago, the Fresno State alum sought at least $20MM per year and indeed was looking to return to his home state, Rapoport adds. Adams will now pair with Puka Nacua, coming in as a hired gun as the Rams — after losses in the wild-card and divisional rounds over the past two years — attempt to book a third Super Bowl berth in the Sean McVay era.

McVay told Kupp early this offseason the Rams were moving on, and Sunday night’s news cements it. Three years after giving Kupp a three-year, $80MM extension following his triple-crown season, the Rams are adding a bigger name. Adams is a year older than Kupp, but he has been much healthier than the 2021 All-Pro. The former Packers, Raiders and Jets star has missed only four games over the past four seasons. One of those (in 2021) came due to rest, and the three others were during a period in which Adams wanted to leave Las Vegas. Although Aaron Rodgers will not be coming with him, Adams will link up with one of the NFL’s most reliable offenses and attempt to make a difference.

Adams will go from leading a receiving corps housing Garrett Wilson to one including Nacua, as the veteran — after some squandered years from a contention standpoint — will return to a Super Bowl threat. Adams still posted a third straight first-team All-Pro season during his Derek Carr reunion season, but the Raiders had begun to decline. Adams showed visible frustration with the Raiders’ ensuing Jimmy Garoppolo plan the next season, calling for a benching of the 2023 FA signing. With Adams tied to Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell last year, the fit predictably ended quickly.

Even with the Jets going 5-12 during Rodgers’ comeback season, Adams played well. His 2023 season with Garoppolo and O’Connell also produced a 1,000-yard year. Adams will head to Los Angeles on the heels of six 1,000-yard seasons in his past seven. We ranked Adams as our No. 15 overall free agent, as only Chris Godwin came in ahead of the off-and-on Rodgers target. The $26MM guaranteed effectively justifies that placement, as the Rams will pay Adams while Nacua is still on a rookie deal. Nacua does not become extension-eligible until 2026.

Rodgers has not committed to even playing in 2025, but that is the expectation. It would appear his days of playing with Adams are over. Adams helped Rodgers to two MVPs, playing a tertiary role in his 2014 honor (Adams’ rookie year). Rodgers was briefly linked to the Rams, as they were sorting out their Stafford situation. Now, Rodgers is being connected to the Giants, who aggressively pursued Stafford during his trade talks. As the Giants and Raiders fell short, Stafford will play a fifth Rams season and have one of this era’s best pass catchers to target alongside Nacua.

Jets Release WR Davante Adams

March 4th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, no suitors emerged for Davante Adams on the trade front. As a result, the Jets will move on from the All-Pro receiver.

Adams is being released, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He will now become one of the most intriguing options at the receiver position in free agency. Presuming this move is processed immediately, it will save $29.9MM in cap space while generating $8.36MM in dead money. The release is now official.

No guaranteed salary remained on Adams’ pact, something which essentially made him a rental in the eyes of interested teams ahead of the 2024 trade deadline. The Jets sent a conditional third-round pick to the Raiders for the six-time Pro Bowler, a move which allowed him to reunite with Aaron Rodgers. The latter will be released with a post-June 1 designation, though, so to no surprise Adams will also seek out a fresh start for 2025.

Rodgers and Adams had the potential to remain in place with New York, but their time with the Jets did not yield a playoff berth. On the other hand, the latter racked up 854 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games upon arrival, a sign he can still be counted on to provide high-end production at this stage of his career. Adams, 32, could draw attention in a free agent class light on impact players at many positions (including receiver).

A release was seen as likely one month ago, but the door was still open to a team avoiding free agency and agreeing to a trade (and subsequent restructure or extension to lower Adams’ cap charges for 2025 and ’26). Interest was shown on that front, but to no surprise a deal never appeared to be imminent. A report from yesterday confirmed a release would take place before the start of the new league year next week.

The Jets are allowing fellow ex-Packers wideout Allen Lazard to seek out a trade, but he too is unlikely to generate a market. A release could also be expected in that case, something which would leave the team short on experienced options behind Garrett Wilson on the depth chart. Taking into account the Adams release, New York has roughly $52MM in cap space.

With a change of scenery on tap, several updates have recently emerged regarding where Adams could play next. A return to the Packers could be in store, but a deal sending him to the West Coast is also something to watch for. Rapoport notes the opportunity for the Fresno State product to head west remains a key factor in his free agency. Rodgers, for his part, is still interested in playing with Adams (provided he decides to suit up in 2025), so a partnership between those two on a third team could come into play.

In any case, it will be interesting to see how things play out for Adams given his track record (six 1,000-yard seasons in the past seven years). The Jets, meanwhile, will need to be active in the receiver market in one form or another as they move past the Rodgers investment and the additions which accompanied it.

Jets Expected To Release Davante Adams

March 3rd, 2025 at 7:49pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Despite receiving calls from other teams regarding Davante Adams, the Jets are expected to release the three-time All-Pro before free agency begins next week, according to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline.

The Jets have been expected to move on from Adams ever since they decided to do the same with Aaron Rodgers. The two first played together in Green Bay before reuniting in New York last season. In 11 games after arriving via trade, Adams recorded 67 receptions for 854 yards and seven touchdowns, though he was less efficient relative to the rest of his career.

Adams’ production and pedigree were enough for the Jets to receive trade inquiries, but his contract likely presented a major obstacle in negotiations. He is owed just over $72MM across the next two years, per OverTheCap, so any acquiring team would want the Jets to eat some of his 2025 salary. The Jets may not have been willing to do that, especially if they would only receive minimal compensation in the process.

Instead, new general manager Darren Mougey will shed Adams’ massive contract via release. A pre-June 1 cut would save $29.9MM against the cap with $8.4MM in dead money. A post-June 1 cut would allow the Jets to push $6.3MM of that dead money into 2026, resulting in $36.2MM of savings and a $2.1MM dead cap hit this year. Adams’ departure would push wide receiver up the Jets’ list of needs, especially if they also move on from Allen Lazard as expected. Garrett Wilson would be the team’s only rostered receiver with more than two years, 300 yards, or 30 catches in the NFL.

Adams’ release would add him to a free agent class with several proven veteran receivers. He is expected to prefer a team on the West Coast – where he was born, raised, and played in college – though he could also be open to a reunion with the Packers or following Rodgers to his next destination.

Jets Receiving Calls On Davante Adams

March 2nd, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Davante Adams‘ time with the Jets is set to come to an end. Like any number of players set to depart their current teams in the near future, the All-Pro wideout faces the prospect of being released shortly.

Of course, a trade could also be worked out to avoid such a scenario. To little surprise, interest on that front is picking up as the start of free agency approaches. The Jets are receiving calls about Adams, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

As part of their effort to make the Aaron Rodgers addition pay off, the Jets traded for the six-time Pro Bowler ahead of the 2024 deadline. That move allowed the former Packers teammates to reunite, and statistical success was found. Adams racked up 854 yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 games with New York, allowing him to top 1,000 yards overall for the sixth time in the past seven seasons.

As a result of his contract status, though, Adams was seen upon arrival as a rental. Two years remain on his pact, but none of his scheduled salaries are guaranteed. A release would thus lead to nearly $30MM in cap savings for the Jets with only $8.36MM in dead money being accrued. The Jets’ new decision-makers (general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn) are not the ones which acquired Adams, a factor which helps explain why a parting of ways is expected.

Rapoport confirms a release will take place if no trade partner is found. Adams is currently on track to carry a cap hit of $38.25MM in 2025, so a new arrangement will need to be worked out with an acquiring team if a swap is to take place. A Packers reunion has been floated as something the 32-year-old would welcome, and he has been connected to again playing with Rodgers as a member of the latter’s next team. The Jets are prepared to make Rodgers a post-June 1 cut, meaning he will not be a free agent until March 12. Adams could know his future before that point.

Especially if the Bengals use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, the free agent market at the receiver position will not feature many attractive options. The 2025 draft class, meanwhile, is not held in high regard compared to those of recent years. That could steer teams toward a trade in the hopes of upgrading their 2025 pass-catching corps. A deal on that front has already been arranged; the 49ers and Commanders agreed to a Deebo Samuel swap yesterday.

The Rams have informed Cooper Kupp they intend to trade him, so he represents another high-profile veteran teams could target this offseason. Adams faced concerns related to declining production before the deal which sent him from the Raiders to the Jets, but a market could still exist based on a lack of younger alternatives with as strong of a track record. Knowing a release is coming otherwise, it will be interesting to see if suitors prepare an offer of note for Adams.

The Jets are expected to release Allen Lazard as they move on from the Rodgers era. Adams will likewise be on the move soon, but a strong trade market could allow New York to recoup some draft capital for 2025.

Aaron Rodgers Eyeing Rams, Aiming To Continue Playing With Davante Adams?

February 26th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Set to be released from his Jets contract soon, Aaron Rodgers must wait until March 12 before becoming a free agent. Because the Jets are planning to designate him as a post-June 1 cut, no official release can take place until the start of the 2025 league year. In the meantime, however, the future Hall of Fame quarterback can survey the landscape.

One place that would understandably generate interest: Los Angeles. Rodgers indeed is believed to be eyeing a Rams fit, according to the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. This is contingent upon the Rams following through with a Matthew Stafford trade. While Stafford and the Rams look to find a solution on his contract, a handful of teams have come up as destinations for the 37-year-old passer.

Rodgers is now 41 and not in the same form Stafford is. That said, he still played 17 games for the Jets and finished with 28 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions (albeit at just 6.7 yards per attempt). The former Packers superstar has not closely reminded fans of his MVP form, but he would be an upgrade for teams in need at the position. While teams like the Steelers, Browns and Raiders would come to mind as potential fits — particularly Pittsburgh and Cleveland due to the AFC North teams’ roster talent — the Rams have presented an optimal fit for quarterbacks since Sean McVay arrived in 2017.

Rodgers led the way to the Jets acquiring several of his ex-Green Bay teammates, with OC Nathaniel Hackett also owing his status in New York to his former Packers pupil. If Rodgers commits to playing a 21st season (a direction he is leaning), Leonard writes he would want to bring Davante Adams with him once again. The Jets gave up a third-round pick for Adams, and while that did not reignite last season’s edition, the former All-Pro did outperform Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins; he just did so for a 5-12 team.

The four-time MVP has a home in Los Angeles, and Adams has been tied to seeking a West Coast fit. The Rams came up as a potential destination, adding some intrigue here. It is not certain the Rams would want Rodgers, who does bring some baggage at this point in his career. A scenario in which the Rams move off Stafford and add Rodgers on the cheap could appeal to the NFC West club, but counting on a 40-something passer who suffered an Achilles tear in September 2023 would not be for everyone. If the Rams do pull the trigger on moving Stafford, though, they would obviously want a path to a starter-caliber quarterback to help sustain their playoff status.

Jets GM Darren Mougey did not indicate which way the team was leaning with Adams, only saying he is still at Jet at this time. But the team will not pay the accomplished wideout a $35.6MM base salary. The Jets are expected to move on soon, and they would not need to wait until June 1 with Adams. Cutting the 32-year-old performer would save the team $29.9MM.

The Rams signing off on the same Rodgers-Adams package the Jets are jettisoning would be interesting, given the team’s status as a perennial (save for an injury-ravaged 2022 season) contender. After all, the team is preparing to move on from its own 30-something receiver — Cooper Kupp. But it would appear Rodgers is closely monitoring the Stafford situation just in case the Rams would be interested in being his third NFL employer.

Davante Adams Open To Packers Reunion?

February 12th, 2025 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson

As Matt LaFleur set out to annoy fantasy GMs with his wide receiver setup over the past two years, the Packers have seen some growth from their array of young talent. Jayden Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft have emerged as quality targets, with the likes of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs showing flashes as regulars.

The Packers, however, have not featured a 900-yard receiver since the 2021 season. Their 2022 Davante Adams tag-and-trade move ended a run of Pro Bowl seasons at the position. Reed’s 857-yard 2024 represents the highwater mark over the past three years. The Packers have ranked 12th in passing yards in each of Jordan Love‘s two seasons, and Josh Jacobs recently suggested the team should pursue a true No. 1-level wide receiver this offseason.

Although Tee Higgins is expected to reach free agency, the bidding for the five-year Bengals target will run hot. As LaFleur also has pushed back against the idea his offense needs a defined WR1, Adams is likely to be available again. And he is believed to be open to a Packers reunion, according to Madison.com’s Jason Wilde.

This, of course, does not mean the Packers would automatically be interested in adding the off-and-on Aaron Rodgers weapon. They already cashed out via the 2022 Raiders swap, fetching first- and second-round picks. That said, Adams confirmed Green Bay offered a better deal compared to Las Vegas’ (five years, $140MM) in 2022. The Packers were unable to complete an extension with Adams ahead of his 2021 contract year, an All-Pro showing, and the Fresno State alum ended up preferring a reunion with Derek Carr over staying with the Packers. That would make an about-face involving Green Bay rather interesting, especially with Rodgers long gone.

Adams has also been tied to heading back to the west coast. It is not certain the Jets bail via release, as a third Adams trade could conceivably occur. It would likely take the Jets eating some salary to move on. As it stands, Gang Green will not pay Adams $35.64MM in 2025. If they move on via release, cap savings of $29.9MM would come the retooling team’s way. The Jets are also expected to cut Rodgers, representing a clean break after a two-year period in which the team centered around the aging QB.

Adams is now 32, but he showed in New York he remains capable of quality play. Though, Adams probably is not capable of production on the level of his previous Packers form any longer. That could dissuade a team from giving up assets to land his through-2026 contract. Considering the Packers’ stance on their receiver room, it would be borderline farfetched for Green Bay to dive back in — especially now that Love is already on a $55MM-per-year contract.

Breaking through in 2016, Adams has totaled at least 997 receiving yards in each of the past eight seasons. Six 1,000-yard campaigns are mixed into that run, as the former Green Bay second-rounder has made a Hall of Fame case. Adams led the NFL with 18 touchdown receptions in 2020, and he boosted Rodgers to his fourth MVP a year later with a career-high 1,553 receiving yards. Rodgers’ attempts to convince Adams to stay in 2022 did not work out, though the duo reunited in New York two years later.

The Packers have run into a health issue at receiver as well, as Watson is likely to begin the 2025 late due to the ACL tear he sustained in Week 18. Watson and Doubs are going into contract years, with Reed and Dontayvion Wicks signed through 2026. It will be interesting to see if the Packers do add a notable receiver piece this offseason, even though Adams appears likelier to end up elsewhere.

Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Glenn Had Multiple Meetings; Jets Also Likely To Separate From Davante Adams

February 11th, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darren Mougey may soon be tied to the two largest single-player dead money hits in NFL history. Mougey worked with Sean Payton and George Paton as the Broncos signed off on an astonishing $83MM-plus in Russell Wilson dead cap, and he is now in charge of a Jets team prepared to move on from Aaron Rodgers. The expected release would come with a $49MM dead money charge, which figures to also be spread out into two offseasons via a post-June 1 designation.

If the Jets are to take that route, they must wait until March 12 to release Rodgers. The Jets communicated with their high-profile quarterback late last week, with SI.com’s Albert Breer reporting the team flew Rodgers in for that meeting. This was not the only time Rodgers and new Jets HC Aaron Glenn spoke this offseason, as ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini indicates the two had multiple conversations since the hire.

The Broncos had faced a deadline on Wilson’s 2025 salary becoming guaranteed had he not been released before the 2024 vesting date, whereas Rodgers’ 2025 salary is nonguaranteed right now. The Jets could also be prepared to cut the at once, with OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald pointing to the more likely scenario being Rodgers is released soon and thus not set to carry a post-June 1 designation. Rather than the Jets taking on $14MM in dead cap this year and $35MM in 2026, a standard release would tag them with the entire bill in 2025.

New regimes generally care less about dead money charges associated with previous staffs, but given the high turnover rate (especially in the coaching ranks) in the modern NFL, it would stand to reason Glenn would not want $49MM clogging the Jets’ 2025 salary cap. Despite Glenn having a high opinion of Rodgers’ abilities during the latter’s final Packers season and the two being amenable to working together with the Jets, the AFC East team has been widely expected to move on from a failed experiment for several weeks. The Sunday report offered some finality, and the timing of the official move will clear up the financial component.

Rodgers, 41, was open to reworking his deal yet again, SNY’s Connor Hughes offers. Rodgers took a significant pay cut in reworking his deal upon arriving in New York, and the polarizing QB did not insist on a new deal during his Packers standoff in 2021. (The Packers did give him one in 2022, designing the contract to help facilitate a 2023 trade.) Rodgers has earned more than $380MM in his career; fit figures to be his primary concern if he plays a 21st season.

It is not yet known if that will happen, though ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance that he does expect a 21st season to commence (video link). We asked readers in December where Rodgers would end up. Retirement won out, and the Raiders checked in as the top non-Jets option. While I suggested the Titans in a Trade Rumors Front Office piece, that came before Tennessee obtained the No. 1 overall pick. As of now, DraftKings has the Steelers as a slight favorite for Rodgers, with the Raiders and 49ers checking in at second and third here.

Rodgers has enjoyed a weekly spot on McAfee’s show for a while, frequently using the platform to levy various criticisms and make a number of interesting statements — many not pertaining to football. Had Rodgers been asked to stay with the Jets, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said during her Scoop City podcast (via Awful Announcing) Glenn and Mougey would have wanted him to ditch the McAfee segments and focus on football. This follows a Glenn introductory presser where he seemed to draw a line from a period where the Jets constantly catered to Rodgers, whose relationship with Woody Johnson also deteriorated during this span.

As fun as a Rodgers-Mike Tomlin pairing would be, Pittsburgh has been closely connected to re-signing either Wilson or Justin Fields; Fields may be the more likely candidate to be retained. Rodgers would be a passing upgrade on both, but pivoting from a 25-year-old Fields for a 41-year-old Rodgers would be an interesting route. Fields staying in Pittsburgh would place Wilson and Kirk Cousins as veterans competing with Rodgers for jobs, adding intrigue to a QB market that may or may not include Sam Darnold — depending on the Vikings’ franchise tag call. A robust Rodgers market may not be too likely, but teams figure to show interest.

If Rodgers is out in New York, it should come as no surprise that Davante Adams is likely gone too. The Jets will not keep Adams on his Raiders-designed contract, per Breer, who notes the All-Pro receiver is almost certainly to be jettisoned soon.

Adams is tied to no guaranteed money on his through-2026 deal, but a Jets October restructure added two void years to his deal. Still, cutting the 32-year-old wideout would create more than $29MM in cap space. The team has not been in contact with the Taco Bell pitchman, who has since been linked to west coast teams like the Rams, Chargers and 49ers.

The Rodgers-Adams pairing leaving town may be good news for the Jets’ hopes of appeasing Garrett Wilson, who was believed to be clashing with the QB and taking issue with his targets following the Adams trade. The Jets will pick up Wilson’s fifth-year option by the May deadline, putting him under contract through 2026. If/when Adams is out, the Jets will again need to address their No. 2 receiver post — a common issue for Gang Green in recent years.

Davante Adams “Intrigued” By Move To West Coast; Jets Have Not Been In Contact

February 8th, 2025 at 10:43pm CST by Ben Levine

10:43pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms a move out west will be something to watch for in the event Adams is released (video link). Notably, he adds the new Jets regime of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn has not yet been in contact with Adams’ camp about a potential restructured deal. Until discussions on that front take place, this situation will be filled with uncertainty.

11:12am: Davante Adams has been generally noncommittal about a return to the Jets. The star receiver’s contract allows him to effectively control his own destiny, and if he wishes to move on from New York, he may be eyeing a move west.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Adams is “intrigued” by a move to the west coast, with a source specifically pointing to the Rams and Chargers as an option. Fowler also adds the 49ers as a potential suitor, noting Adams’ connection to Northern California.

Adams’ two-plus season stint in Las Vegas ended this past season when he was traded to the Jets. Despite teaming up with old friend Aaron Rodgers, things obviously didn’t go as planned. The Jets went 3-8 when Adams was in the lineup, and the veteran ended up finishing with his fewest yards from scrimmage since the 2019 campaign. Following the season, Adams admitted he “would love to be a part of this football team,” although he cautioned that a number of factors would come into play (including the status of Rodgers).

While Adams is technically signed through the 2026 season, he has the ability to push his way out of New York. The Jets previously restructured the wideout’s 2024 salary without touching his 2025 and 2026 figures, leaving untenable base salaries of $35.6MM for each of the next two seasons. If the Jets want to keep Adams, they’ll surely require another restructured deal to keep the wideout on the books. If the receiver decides he wants out, he could simply decline the inevitable restructure request, which would ultimately lead to his release.

Considering Adams’ track record, he wouldn’t have a lack of suitors should he hit free agency, and each of the cited teams could make sense. The Rams are looking to move on from Cooper Kupp, which would open a significant spot in their receivers room opposite Puka Nacua. Kupp’s health concerns have surely played a role in the Rams’ decision to move on, although the team is also making it clear that they’re not looking to pay $20MM for a veteran WR.

The Chargers got a standout season from rookie Ladd McConkey, but there are questions behind their young wide receiver. Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston is still under contract, but the second-year player struggled with drops and inconsistency in 2024. Much of the rest of the team’s depth chart, which includes the likes of Josh Palmer, DJ Chark, and Simi Fehoko, are set to hit free agency, so the team could be in the market for another notable pass catcher.

The 49ers are loaded with pass catchers. Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings are attached to veteran pacts, and the team added a pair of rookies last year in first rounder Ricky Pearsall and fourth rounder Jacob Cowing (not to mention tight end George Kittle, who led the team in receiving yards). The organization has shown an ability to juggle multiple offensive stars, but an Adams acquisition would surely push another big name off the roster.

AFC East Rumors: Van Pelt, Jets, Dolphins

January 15th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Both the Giants and Vikings submitted viable offers to the Patriots for the No. 3 overall pick last year, with each NFC franchise eyeing Drake Maye. Each would have netted the Pats an additional second-rounder in last year’s draft and a first this year. New York’s proposal would have given New England this year’s third overall choice, but Maye now serves as the Pats’ franchise centerpiece. Ultimately, then-acting GM Eliot Wolf and ownership stayed and picked Maye. Though, there appeared to be some supporters of accepting a trade-down offer. At the time, it is believed OC Alex Van Pelt was among those who viewed the Pats’ roster as too deficient to pass on moving down, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes.

While it may not be certain Mike Vrabel moves on from Van Pelt, the OC effectively confirmed this by telling friends he had been fired following the team’s Week 18 game. This came despite the organization being pleased with how he had helped develop Maye. Vrabel’s next play-caller’s chief assignment will be elevating Maye to another level in 2025.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

In December, Davante Adams was noncommittal about his Jets future. After all, the player responsible for him being traded to New York — Aaron Rodgers — appears on his way out. After the season, Adams did not confirm (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he would be following Rodgers out the door, but he said staying with the team post-Rodgers would depend on a few factors. Adams’ Raiders-built contract runs through 2026. Allen Lazard was more enthusiastic about staying with the Jets. The lower-profile Rodgers come-with guy at receiver, Lazard went from being a healthy scratch at a point in 2023 to totaling 530 yards and six touchdowns this season. Lazard said (via Cimini) he wants to stay and later retire a Jet. Though, his four-year, $44MM contract would produce $11MM in savings if removed from the payroll via a post-June 1 release.
Calais Campbell said before season’s end he was not closing the door on playing an 18th NFL season, and the accomplished defensive lineman noted after the Dolphins‘ year wrapped (via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that he will consider an age-39 slate. Campbell notched five sacks, and his 12 tackles for loss were his most since 2018. The Dolphins had him on their books for just $2MM this season, and after they nearly traded him back to the Ravens at the deadline, it stands to reason the Miami alum will look into landing with a contender soon.
Elsewhere on the Dolphins’ roster, both Jaelan Phillips and Austin Jackson are expected to be fine for the 2025 opener, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. Phillips, who suffered an Achilles tear in 2023 and a partially torn ACL this season, is going into his fifth-year option campaign. Jackson, who suffered a meniscus tear, is tied to a three-year, $36MM extension. Swing tackle Kendall Lamm is almost definitely set to depart in free agency, Jackson adds. The Dolphins’ Patrick Paul second-round draft choice had pointed the veteran elsewhere. That said, Grier said the Dolphins “are going to have to” invest in O-linemen this offseason. While the team has three higher-end tackle investments under contract, its interior situation is less solidified.
Staying with O-lines, Vrabel confirmed (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the Patriots‘ front will be a priority this offseason. This echoes a recent report that suggested OL and WR would be New England’s top target areas. The Pats struggled up front, with the loss of David Andrews and the left tackle carousel being among the issues. Vrabel leaned on the ground game in Tennessee, largely because of Derrick Henry‘s presence, but the Pats have by far the most cap space exiting the season. With questions existing just about everywhere outside of Michael Onwenu‘s presence (and even his position has fluctuated), allocating considerable resources up front seems likely as the Pats attempt to protect Maye.

Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson On Future With Jets

December 8th, 2024 at 11:45pm CST by Rory Parks

The Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention by virtue of today’s loss to the Dolphins. Of course, the 3-10 club – which came into the season with championship aspirations – has not looked like a viable contender at any point during the campaign, and it will go into the offseason at yet another organizational crossroads.

Gang Green will need to hire a new head coach and general manager and will need to make a final decision on the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. There are also plenty of high-profile, non-QB talents to monitor, including the top two wideouts on the team’s depth chart.

Davante Adams’ dissatisfaction with the Raiders’ quarterback situation led him to engineer a midseason trade to the Jets in the hopes that a reunion with Rodgers would help both players recapture some of the form they displayed as longtime teammates in Green Bay. In the immediate aftermath of the trade, Adams expressed his desire to remain with the Jets beyond 2024, though he has naturally become more non-committal in the waning days of another lost season.

When asked this week about his future with the club, Adams said, “[that’s] a great question, and I truly don’t have the answer to it right now” (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).

Adams further indicated that his contract situation and Rodgers’ status would be factors in his New York future.

“I would love to be a part of this football team,” he said (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). “… I’d love to go to war with these guys, but it’s a business and there are a lot of pieces, contractually, and, obviously, with Aaron’s future — a lot of things that I can’t control. Hopefully, we do enough to where everybody’s feeling like it’s the right thing to do for us to stay here.”

Cimini, echoing recent reports, says that Rodgers is unlikely to be back with the team in 2025, which would encourage Adams to cut ties. Adams is still under club control through 2026 thanks to the Raiders-constructed deal that the Jets took on when they acquired him, but as Rapoport observes, the three-time First Team All-Pro controls his own destiny.

New York restructured Adams’ 2024 salary while leaving his 2025 and 2026 figures untouched, meaning that Adams is due base salaries of $35.6MM over each of the next two years. However, no portion of those salaries is guaranteed, and all parties know that the Jets will not retain Adams at those price points. Another restructure would therefore be necessary to keep the soon-to-be 32-year-old on the roster, but if Adams wants to leave, he can simply decline such a restructure – if the Jets even approach him about one – and effectively force his release.

Per Cimini, there has been no indication that Adams’ younger running mate, Garrett Wilson, is planning his own exit strategy by requesting a trade. The 2022 draftee is eligible for an extension at the end of the 2024 season, and though he continues to be one of Rodgers’ top targets, his production has declined in recent weeks. Unlike Adams, however, Wilson says his tenure with the Jets will be unaffected by Rodgers’ fate.

“No impact. No impact,” Wilson said. “I’ve been here with Aaron, and I’ve been here without him. No impact.”

The Jets rebuffed trade interest in Wilson at this year’s deadline, and the immensely talented 24-year-old is clearly a foundational piece upon which New York can rebuild. Wilson’s trade suitors were reportedly willing to offer him a new contract this offseason, and while the Jets could do the same, they can also control him at team-friendly rates through 2026 and franchise tag him in 2027. Speculatively, Wilson’s thoughts about requesting a trade could change if it becomes clear that his current employer is not interested in immediate extension negotiations.

For now, he is clearly suggesting that he will be back next year.

“[Whichever quarterback] they send me out there with (in 2025), I’m going to put my best foot forward and try to show that I belong, that I’m one of the guys in this league that’s a great player,” Wilson said. “So I just have to figure out a way to prove that. I thought it would be easier this year. It hasn’t been.”

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