Just because Vegas isn’t having trade talks doesn’t mean it shouldn’t

Rumors of Davante Adams’ trade availability are “baseless and unfounded,” according to the wide receiver’s agents, who said this week the Las Vegas Raiders star is “expected” to stay put in 2024. Just because Adams’ representation is adamant, however, doesn’t mean trade talks won’t materialize down the road. And it definitely doesn’t mean the Raiders should be totally averse to a deal.

Is Adams still one of the NFL’s top pass catchers, fresh off his fourth straight 1,000-yard season? Sure. Are the Raiders the best team to capitalize on his talents, entering 2024 with a new coach, new general manager and potentially their fifth starting quarterback in three years? That’s highly debatable.

Going on 32, Adams is arguably more valuable to Las Vegas as a trade chip than a long-term weapon, even coming off a “down” year in which he averaged just 11.1 yards per catch. It’s probably partly why old friend Aaron Rodgers isn’t afraid to publicly tease the possibility of a relocation with the Jets. Unlike Adams’ current team, New York is all in on an immediate title bid.

In the event the Raiders actually field or solicit offers for their No. 1 receiver, here are some proposed trade offers that might make sense for both sides:

49ers
49ers get: WR Davante Adams, 2025 fifth-round pick
Raiders get: WR Brandon Aiyuk, 2025 third-round pick
Aiyuk officially wants out of San Francisco since the two sides can’t find common ground in long-term contract talks. What better way for the 49ers to meet his demands than by simultaneously upgrading out wide for their Super Bowl-contention window? Adams, of course, is also costly, but his $25.3 million price tag for 2024 is probably less than Aiyuk wants on a per-year basis. This would be a purely one-, maybe two-year rental from San Francisco’s perspective, retaining a top-shelf lineup for Brock Purdy. It makes sense for Adams, too, as he’d get the chance to play for both a true contender and closer to home; the 49ers are based less than an hour from his hometown of Palo Alto.

Jets
Jets get: WR Davante Adams
Raiders get: DL Solomon Thomas, 2025 second-round pick, 2025 third-round pick
How the Jets would properly fit Adams into their 2024 salary cap is a legitimate question. If there’s any team that might convince Adams to be financially flexible, however, it’s probably Gang Green, who would afford the wideout a final chance to team up with ex-MVP partner Aaron Rodgers, along with a loaded skill group featuring playmakers like Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson. While Thomas isn’t necessarily a needle-mover, his experience in the trenches could be appealing to the Antonio Pierce-led Raiders, especially after logging a career-high five sacks as part of the Jets’ 2023 rotation.

Lions
Lions get: WR Davante Adams
Raiders get: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Detroit already possesses one of the NFL’s most balanced offensive lineups, but the Lions have underrated questions about receiver depth behind emerging star Amon-Ra St. Brown. Besides, St. Brown’s own mega deal doesn’t kick in until 2025; he’s due less than $5 million in 2024, and Detroit already has close to $35 million in cap space. This arrangement could function similar to the Houston Texans’ addition of Stefon Diggs: Adams gives the Lions immediate help for a potential title bid, while Detroit all but guarantees it’ll let Adams test the open market with a reworked deal post-2024.

Packers
Packers get: WR Davante Adams, 2026 fifth-round pick
Raiders get: WR Christian Watson, 2025 second-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Everyone’s abuzz about the idea of Adams and Rodgers reuniting, but what about a reunion with the Packers instead? Green Bay obviously couldn’t convince Adams to stay back in 2022, when he was ultimately dealt to Las Vegas, but after two losing seasons on the West Coast, he could be itching to restore Super Bowl dreams alongside emergent former teammate Jordan Love. A Love extension, by the way, would conceivably free up even more cap space; what better way to secure the quarterback long term than by bolstering his young receiving corps with a proven and familiar stud?

Steelers
Steelers get: WR Davante Adams
Raiders get: 2025 second-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Strongly linked to Brandon Aiyuk as the 49ers wideout seeks a relocation, Pittsburgh is certainly an ideal landing spot for the San Francisco standout. Adams isn’t a bad alternative, and, in fact, might make even more sense as a short-term complement to the Russell Wilson/Justin Fields gamble under center. The Steelers have been uncharacteristically swift in reassembling the offense this year, perhaps in a bid to finally help Mike Tomlin’s defense in the playoff conversation, and this would be a major help.