A Packers-Raiders trade to spurn Aaron Rodgers and elevate Jordan Love

The Green Bay Packers suffered a rather embarrassing loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football. It's only the preseason, so we can't get too up in arms, but the Packers offense was held scoreless by a fairly innocuous Broncos defense. Jordan Love did not play, which is notable, nor did the Packers' top wide receivers. All that did was prove how flimsy the back end of Green Bay's WR depth chart is.

There is plenty of confidence in Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and the Packers' young wideouts, but Green Bay lacks a true, established No. 1 weapon, and Green Bay would plainly benefit from more bodies at the position. As such, we can expect GM Brian Gutekunst to look for upgrades during the season. The Packers saddled Jordan Love with the largest annual contract in NFL history, which should be incentive enough to go all-out.

One highly intriguing possibility is a reunion with former Packers superstar Davante Adams, who has spent the last couple of seasons toiling in mediocrity with the Las Vegas Raiders. There is real hope in the Las Vegas fandom this season — new head coach Antonio Pierce inspires a ton of confidence — but without stable QB play, very little is guaranteed.

Adams' contract puts him squarely on NFL trade radars. He is due more than $35 million in non-guaranteed money in each of the next two seasons, which would make him the highest-paid wideout in NFL history. Odds are Adams won't get that money, and will instead enter free agency when the season ends. If the Raiders end up on a downslide early in the campaign, there's simply no quality reason to keep Adams around. Trade him for assets, draft a QB next April, and reset.

The Packers should come knocking if the Raiders put Adams on the trade block. Beyond the obvious football benefits of acquiring Adams, it's a chance for the Packers to stick it to Aaron Rodgers, who has spent the last year lobbying for Adams to join him in East Rutherford. Building up Love's supporting cast and screwing over Rodgers at the same time? It's a Packers fantasy made reality.

Packers-Raiders trade to pair Jordan Love and Davante Adams

There's a decent chance the Raiders can squeeze a first-round pick out of Adams because of his impressive resumé, but 31-year-old wideouts on expiring contracts tend to come at a slightly discounted rate. The dynamics of this trade change if the Packers can hammer out an extension with Adams ahead of time, but odds are Green Bay would be taking the plunge without much long-term security.

Of course, this outcome should thrill Adams, who enjoyed a fruitful career in Green Bay before his relocation to Las Vegas. He is beloved in Packers Country and Green Bay is ready to start winning games again. The Packers were tantalizingly close to knocking off the eventual NFC champs in the playoffs a season ago. Down the stretch, Love looked as capable as any quarterback in the league. There are lingering questions tied to his relative lack of experience — especially on that massive contract — but Love is a cut-and-dry upgrade over Gardner Minshew or Aidan O'Connell.

Adams has never been afraid to express his frustration with the Raiders' quarterback situation. He appeared content with O'Connell down the stretch, but Minshew is a classically average journeyman who figures to short-arm his fair share of throws. If the Raiders are struggling, we can bet that the offense will be a primary culprit, and it will probably coincide with restlessness from Adams, who is running out of time to notch his first Super Bowl.

The Packers may need to include one of their young wideouts, such as Doubs or Christian Watson, to get Las Vegas on the phone. Even that price is justifiable when one considers just how profoundly Adams would benefit the Packers' offensive attack. The sideways jab at Aaron Rodgers is gravy.

Green Bay would face steep competition for Adams' services, from the New York Jets as well as other contenders, so the price is bound to balloon beyond a point of comfort. Even so, the best talent comes at a cost, and Adams certainly justifies it with his prodigious output on the field.