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Veteran wide receiver Davante Adams will open the 2024 NFL season with the Las Vegas Raiders, but his future remains the subject of speculation, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe.
"Still in the early stages of a rebuild after another quick regime change, there aren't high expectations for the Raiders around the league," Howe reported Monday. "Barring an unexpectedly hot start, some around the league are wondering if the Raiders would move [Adams] at the trade deadline. They need to maximize their draft assets to find a franchise quarterback, and the 31-year-old Adams isn't likely to be around when the Raiders are ready to make a playoff push."
A little more than a month after taking over as general manager, Tom Telesco said the Raiders didn't intend to trade Adams. By July, agents for the three-time All-Pro were equally emphatic, telling ESPN's Adam Schefter that any trade rumors were "baseless, unfounded speculation."
Still, Howe noted how Las Vegas is unlikely to be a playoff threat in 2024. That raises the question of whether a 31-year-old receiver, even one performing at an elite level, is more of a luxury than a necessity.
Adams' salary is only going to become more cumbersome as well. He'll carry salary cap hits of $44.1 million in 2025 and 2026, which will be the highest among all receivers next season and second-highest two years from now.
Maybe the Raiders genuinely believe their 5-4 record in the second half with interim and now-permanent head coach Antonio Pierce was an indicator of their future performance. Their decision to roll with Gardner Minshew as the starting quarterback would seemingly refute that notion, though.
Assuming Las Vegas does come out slowly, dealing Adams ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline would make more sense than keeping him on the roster.
