With the trade deadline still more than one month away, it’s doubtful any team will be making big moves until close to Halloween, buying or selling. But Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams could be the biggest name on the block.
Despite previous reports of Adams hoping to remain in Las Vegas and the Raiders steadfast in their desire to keep him, reporter Vinny Bonsignore says the team is open to trading Adams this season. And they have begun calling teams to gauge interest.
The second part of that report is most notable. Being open to the idea is one thing. Actively calling teams to see what interest there is, and what teams might give up for Adams, is a big step forward. While there’s no tie-in to the Steelers, they remain one of the most wide receiver-needy teams in football. George Pickens is their only consistent wide receiver threat and while WR Calvin Austin III has made plays the last two weeks, he’s not an every-down No. 2 WR in this offense.
Davante Adams has been one of the league’s most prolific wide receivers. Traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Raiders ahead of the 2022 season and reuniting with college teammate Derek Carr, Adams has made six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. He has five career 1,000-yard seasons and twice led the NFL in receiving scores.
But his time with the Raiders has been difficult as the team has sputtered and gone through coaching changes, posting losing records in his first two full years with the team. The Raiders sit at 2-2 with a big win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday but aren’t considered to be true playoff contenders in a difficult AFC West.
Held out by a hamstring injury ahead of the Browns game, Davante Adams has caught 18 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown this year. He is 31 years old and is on a big contract, but the Steelers could make the financials work. As Dave Bryan notes, a restructure would have to occur on Pittsburgh’s end to free up enough space but there is a path.
What kind of trade capital the Raiders would want back is a separate question. Green Bay received a first- and second-round pick from Las Vegas in 2022 but it’s doubtful Adams would have the exact same value now.
Adams showed his frustration before head coach Josh McDaniels was fired in late October 2023. While Adams has expressed contentment under Antonio Pierce, there could be a new storyline. It appears Pierce liked an Instagram post that said Adams may have played his last snap with the Raiders. In a Tuesday interview with Kay Adams, Adams said he hopes to hear from his head coach.
Per Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons, Davante Adams confirmed he’s aware of the social media post and reports.
“I haven’t talked to [Antonio Pierce],” Adams told Kay Adams, via Simmons. “So, yeah, I don’t really know what that was about. Obviously … social media is a beast, so there’s a lot of people out there that saw it and are wondering what’s going on — people reaching out. And yeah, I haven’t spoken to him.”
Jordan Schultz reported on X that Adams has been considering a trade request for quite a while, dating back to last season. He reportedly has a “few” preferred destinations including a reunion with Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets.
Pittsburgh’s offseason focus centered on the San Francisco 49ers Brandon Aiyuk but some analysts speculated Adams could be a fallback option with Mike Tomlin being the type of coach Adams would want to play for.
Though no decision will come for weeks, Adams’ name will only make the rumor mill rounds more throughout October. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 5 at 4 PM/EST, pushed back one week after the league voted in favor of the Steelers’ proposal earlier this year.
