3 contenders Davante Adams is screwing over with narrow trade wish list

The New York Jets unsurprisingly opted to move on from Aaron Rodgers on Sunday after his dismal season. The Jets entered the year with Super Bowl aspirations, doubled down on those hopes by trading for Davante Adams midseason, but finished with a 5-12 record.

Rodgers' departure makes it almost certain that Adams, Rodgers' longtime teammate and close friend, will also be wearing another uniform next season. Not only will Adams likely be unwilling to remain with the Jets without Rodgers, but the Jets will have no interest in keeping him around with his $38.3 million cap hit.

According to Ian Rapoport, Adams would prefer to head to the West Coast. Moving on is far from surprising, but his trade wishlist screws over several contenders who might have been interested in acquiring him.

3. The Steelers are going to miss out on yet another WR target

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been connected to just about every high-end receiver to enter the trade market over the last calendar year, and have missed out on every single one of them. Part of that has to do with their unwillingness to top the eventual winning offer, but also, players don't seem to be forcing their way to Pittsburgh, especially with their quarterback situation being what it is. Adams fits in that second group with his preference to play on the West Coast.

Why the Steelers are linked to virtually every high-end receiver is crystal clear: They need more talent at that position. George Pickens is extremely talented and a clear-cut WR1 at his best, but his inconsistency makes him a shaky top option at best. Beyond Pickens, it's a mess in Pittsburgh.

Calvin Austin III had a pretty good year in Pittsburgh, but does anyone really think he's a WR2 on a contender? The options beyond him are Van Jefferson and Mike Williams, both of whom are free agents once the year concludes.

The quarterback issue is a real concern, but a receiver duo consisting of Pickens and Adams is certainly good enough to do some damage. It's a shame we won't see it come to fruition.

2. The Bills will have to look elsewhere for their WR1

Many expected the Buffalo Bills to take a slight step back in 2024 in large part because Stefon Diggs was traded and the team didn't really replace him. Buffalo instead made it all the way to the AFC Championship game thanks to Josh Allen's heroics, but fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs once again.

For the Bills to overcome the Chiefs hurdle, they're going to need a receiver on which Allen can lean. They traded for Amari Cooper to be that guy, but he underwhelmed in his brief Bills tenure. Adams has a decade-long track record of being one of the game's best receivers. He just completed his fifth straight 1,000-yard season despite only playing in 14 games and dealing with lackluster quarterback play for much of the year.

Guys like Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman are good, but are better in complimentary roles. Adams could have been the clear-cut WR1 on a Super Bowl contender playing with the reigning MVP winner, but instead, he's choosing to play out west. Oh, well.

1. The Commanders could pay Adams handsomely and give him a chance to win

On paper, the Washington Commanders have pretty much anything Adams could want, so it's a real shame that they're on the East Coast.

If Adams wants to play for a good quarterback, Jayden Daniels was one of the game's best at that position this past season, and should only get better as he continues to develop. If he wants targets, the Commanders can offer that to him, as outside of Terry McLaurin, the Commanders don't have much in terms of pass catchers. If he wants to join a contender, the Commanders just made it to the NFC Championship in a year they were expected to underwhelm record-wise. Chances are, they'll be a lot more talented in 2025, and will have a legitimate shot of getting to the Super Bowl.

The real kicker here is that the Commanders have the financial flexibility to give Adams a spiffy paycheck in addition to the other opportunities they provide. The Commanders are projected to have over $78 million of cap space according to Over The Cap — the third-most in the NFL. They're in a unique position of being a contender with a ton of money to spend. Unfortunately for Washington fans, Adams would prefer playing out west than joining what could be his best possible situation football-wise and financially.