Davante Adams used his weekly news conference on Wednesday to stress that he is not looking to leave Las Vegas.
The question remains: why does this keep coming up? Adams had made similar statements when the Raiders started training camp less than two months ago amid trade rumors.
There are several reasons why Adams often finds himself in this situation. One reason is the Netflix docuseries “Receiver,” where Adams clearly showed his frustration with Jimmy Garoppolo during the first half of last season.
Speculation about Adams’ future will likely increase if the Raiders, who are projected to win 6 1/2 games according to BetMGM Sportsbook, have a poor start.
His salary cap hit will rise from $25.35 million this season to $44.1 million in 2025 and 2026, according to Spotrac.com.
The Raiders might then shift their focus to future plans if immediate success seems unlikely.
The team might consider trading Adams to create more cap space and gain valuable assets. Adams, nearing 32, might also want to join a contending team as he approaches the end of his career.
Since being traded from the Packers and Aaron Rodgers to the Raiders in March 2022, Adams has experienced a significant change.
He went from being part of a team with a future Hall of Fame quarterback and regular Super Bowl contenders to a Raiders team that has a 14-20 record in his two seasons and has made the playoffs only twice in the past 21 years.
During his time in Las Vegas, Adams has played with quarterbacks Derek Carr, Jarrett Stidham, Garoppolo, and Aidan O’Connell. Now, journeyman Gardner Minshew will start the season as the quarterback. None of these quarterbacks compare to Rodgers, who is now with the Jets.
