3x All Pro WR Davante Adams addresses his HC Antonio Pierce liking a post suggesting Adams will be traded…
“I haven’t heard from him (Pierce)… I don’t really know exactly what that’s all about.”@heykayadams @tae15adams @Raiders pic.twitter.com/xMusj9nMFx
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 1, 2024
Dennis Allen has already publicly challenged his backups to do more to fire up the New Orleans Saints offense. But if he’s serious about wanting more firepower, it would be worth looking into all of these trade rumors surrounding Las Vegas Raiders star wideout Davante Adams. His history with Derek Carr on the Raiders and in college at Fresno state speaks for itself.
On Tuesday, Vinny Bonsignore reported for the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the Raiders “are growing open to the idea of trading Davante Adams. The source said the club has begun reaching out to teams to gauge interest in the veteran wide receiver.”
This followed comments from Adams himself, speaking with Kay Adams’ “Up and Adams” show, where his response to trade speculation was that he was focusing on the things within his control. He added that he hadn’t heard a word about his future with the Raiders from head coach Antonio Pierce, who had fueled speculation about a potential trade on social media.
But what could it cost? Before we even look at the trade compensation we’ve got to tackle the salary cap perspective. Any team trading for Adams right now would have to come up with $13.5 million for his remaining salary in 2024. If they wait until the Nov. 5 trade deadline, the acquiring team only pays $8.6 million. That’s after the Saints would play their next five games. Could they wait that long?
They might not have a choice. New Orleans is under the salary cap by just $2.7 million right now, so unless a player is going back their options are really limited. Trading more-valuable draft picks to Las Vegas could get the Raiders to pay part of Adams’ salary would be an option. Their easiest lever to pull would be restructuring Alvin Kamara’s contract, saving up to $8.1 million, but he’s tabled contract extension talks until the spring, so you have to wonder how willing the Saints would be to go that route.
Let’s say they get that done. As for the trade compensation? It would probably have to be at least a future first-round pick, and the Saints have gotten burned by trading those recently (just look at the disastrous Trevor Penning trade in 2022). Adams ranks third in career touchdowns scored (96) among active players. He’s built a career that’s given him a shot at the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.
Getting him won’t be easy, but it might save the Saints’ season. Adams would give them a physical presence at wide receiver they currently lack. Neither Chris Olave nor Rashid Shaheed, talented as they are, play above the rim and fight for contested catches as effectively as Adams does. He’s a rare tone-setter at the position, and the Saints know him well. Beyond Carr he’s got his former college receivers coach Keith Williams on staff in New Orleans. There could be both interest from the Saints and appeal to Adams here. Stay tuned.
