Former First-team All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams is virtually guaranteed to be traded ahead of the league’s November 5 trade deadline. The Raiders have ruled Adams out for three consecutive games with a hamstring injury, although there is speculation that the team is holding him out so that they can facilitate a deal to send him to another team. Five teams have been involved in trade speculation up to this point: the Jets, Saints, Steelers, Ravens, and Bills. Let’s rank those potential landing spots by how impactful a trade would be, both for Adams and the team itself.
5. New Orleans Saints
This one would have been much more intriguing a couple of weeks ago. The Saints’ season has completely fallen apart after their impressive 2-0 start, losing three straight games and quarterback Derek Carr in the process. With Carr expected to be sidelined for multiple games, Adams could very well be catching passes from Spencer Rattler should this trade go through, at least for the time being. The Saints could also easily be 2-5 or 2-6 by the time Carr returns to action.
From the Saints’ perspective, a splashy trade for a star wide receiver would not make much sense at this point in time. Their receiving corps is capable with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, and it’s not like New Orleans can be a viable Super Bowl contender, even with Davante Adams and a healthy Derek Carr. They are better off saving their draft capital.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Adams could make a difference for a Steelers team that struggles mightily to make big plays on offense. However, it is likely that he would frequently disappear as has been the case with the Raiders’ lackluster offense. Pittsburgh’s offensive scheme often causes George Pickens to be absent through large portions of game time. Adams could face a similar fate should he be dealt to the Steel City.
Like New Orleans, Pittsburgh is highly unlikely to be contending for a Super Bowl this season. Sure, they’re a lot closer to championship contention than the Raiders are, but at this stage of Adams’ career, it would be best if he went somewhere with higher aspirations.
3. New York Jets
Again, I do not expect the Jets to be a Super Bowl contender this season; however, seeing a Davante Adams-Aaron Rodgers reunion is enough to justify placing New York in third on this list. Nostalgia aside, the Jets would be more interesting having Adams alongside Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard. In an AFC playoff race that is currently wide open beyond a few teams, a move like this could be a difference maker in the long run.
Remember that the Jets could be in 1st place in the AFC East at the end of Week 6. Their management should want to be aggressive in order to end their 13-year playoff drought and give Aaron Rodgers one last shot at a playoff run.
2. Buffalo Bills
There has been speculation throughout the entire offseason as to whether or not the Bills need to add a star receiver to replace Stefon Diggs. Through five weeks of the season, it certainly looks like they would benefit from doing so after suffering back-to-back defeats. After all, they still have their eyes on competing with the Chiefs come January.
The addition of Adams would be beneficial to both parties. Adams would slot in as Buffalo’s de facto go-to receiver, filling the void left by Diggs. It would be a step in the right direction towards finally beating Kansas City in the postseason, something that continues to allude them.
1. Baltimore Ravens
On paper, adding Davante Adams to this offense would seem unfair. Baltimore already leads the league in yards per game, yards per play, 1st downs per game. However, all of that means nothing to a team in the Ravens’ position. Let’s not forget that they finished last season with the best record in the league, yet that did not matter when the postseason rolled around.
Baltimore only cares about going to the Super Bowl, which almost certainly means beating Kansas City in order to get there. Anything less would be a failure. Trading for Davante Adams would not only boost their chances against the Chiefs in the playoffs, it would also give Adams the best chance he has of winning a ring out of all the teams listed.
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