One of the reasons why the Raiders were so interested in trading for Davante Adams is due to his relationship with Derek Carr. With those two playing together at Fresno State, there is already a connection that should help them get off to a fast start this season.
But how does this new duo compare to some of the other new pairings in the NFL? In a recent article by Kevin Patra from Around The NFL, he ranked the best new QB-WR duos heading into the 2022 season.
That list included the likes of Matt Ryan/Michael Pittman, Russell Willson/Jerry Jeudy and of course, Kyler Murray/Marquise Brown.
But the No. 1 new duo in the league is none other than Derek Carr and Davante Adams. Here is a small snippet of Patra’s thoughts on Carr and Adams going into the year:
“On the field, the duo has a chance to be special. Adams is in any discussion about the top receivers in the NFL, and for my money, is WR1. He can win off the line of scrimmage in a blink, lines up everywhere and owns the size to bully all DBs. He boasts vice-grip hands and is nearly unstoppable in the red zone.
Since 2018, Adams leads the NFL in receptions (432), receiving yards (5,310) and receiving TDs (47). His three career seasons of 110-plus catches are second-most all-time (Wes Welker, five), and his five years with 10-plus TDs are the most by an active player.”
If the Raiders want to compete in the AFC this year, they’ll need Carr and Adams to get off to a fast start. Their schedule is too tough for them to go through any major growing pains, so they have to play well early in the season.
But given how each of them performed in 2021 and their previous connection in college, that shouldn’t be a problem at all.
