Most aggressive Davante Adams trade suitor is just asking for more broken promises

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams did not find the grass in Las Vegas to be greener than it was in Green Bay.

Adams spent the first eight years of his career catching passes from future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but his stint in Sin City has been riddled with middling quarterbacks.

Adams initially decided to join the Raiders in large part due to quarterback Derek Carr, his former collegiate teammate and close friend. The reunion was short-lived — the Raiders jettisoned Carr after the 2022 season and created instability at the quarterback position. Since then, Adams has caught passes from quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham, Jimmy Garoppolo, Aiden O’Connell and Gardner Minshew.

The poor offensive success combined with contractual disputes have caused Adams’ frustration to reach a tipping point. The six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver formally requested a trade before Week 5.

Davante Adams may reunite with Derek Carr once again

Several teams have reportedly expressed interest. The Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers have both inquired about Adams, but the New Orleans Saints have been the most aggressive team in their pursuit of Adams, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 

Adams would reportedly would prefer the New York Jets as his top landing spot, which would reunite him with Rodgers. Instead, a trade to the Saints would reunite him with Carr — again.

Carr and Adams played together at Fresno State. The two remained close as they transitioned to the professional level, and they reunited when the Raiders acquired Adams from the Green Bay Packers before the 2022 season. 

Carr told reporters on Thursday that he would love to reunite with Adams in New Orleans, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. 

"I think all 32 quarterbacks would love to play with Davante," Carr said. "We would welcome that. I don't know if I can get in trouble for saying that. I just think everyone kind of knows that ... I think everyone would love to play with Tay. I would obviously welcome playing with him again if that ever worked out in our careers."

Adams compiled 88 receptions for 1,290 yards and 12 touchdowns on 160 targets in the 15 games he played with Carr during the 2022 season. His 55.6 percent catch rate was the second-lowest of his career, behind only his sophomore season in 2015. Carr passed for 3,522 yards in 2022, the third-fewest of his career and a significant step backwards from his 4,804 passing yards in the prior season.

The Raiders are open to trading Adams but they are reportedly seeking a second-round pick and additional compensation. 

The Saints wide receiver corps is currently led by Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Adams would bolster the group immediately, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the upgrade would be significant enough to justify the cost.