Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams has addressed recent trade rumors, asserting his commitment to his favorite childhood team while acknowledging the allure of reuniting with his former quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
There have been plenty of rumors that it’s only a matter of time before Adams finds his way to the New York Jets and the two rekindle the magic they once had in Green Bay.
Speaking on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast, Adams responded to the swirling speculation following a statement from his agents denying any active trade discussions.
Adams expressed his willingness to team back up with Rodgers – but emphasized that he’s focused on his current role with the Raiders.
“Well, I’ll answer it like this: If I’m gonna be reunited with anybody, it would be Aaron – or relocated and be anywhere, it’d be with Aaron,” Adams said.
“But that’s not really my – there was a lot of that stuff going on last year in the media and them asking, ‘What are you gonna do about this? Are you thinking about going here?’ And they talk about whatever without me even being involved in it.
“And it ended up getting all the way to the point where it got in the locker room, and people was thinking that I was the driving force, and I’m like, y’all just don’t understand, man.
“When you – and I hate to say it like this because it makes me sound like I’m trying to put myself on a pedestal – but when you’re a certain level of player, it don’t have to come from you, and oftentimes it’s not coming from you.”
Entering his third season of a five-year, $140 million contract with Vegas, Adams affirmed his dedication to the Raiders.
“I’m actively on the Raiders. What do I look like sitting here talking to other people about being on another team? And that’s how I still feel about it right now,” Adams continued.
“I’m locked in with the Raiders and I really feel good about this team, and as far as I know they feel good about me. If that ever changes, if that got to a point where they weren’t feeling the same way, I ain’t done playing, so obviously we would figure out whatever we needed to figure out.”
Adams reminisced about his successful stint with Rodgers, where the pair were widely considered to be the best quarterback-receiver combo in all of football.
“The thought of playing with Aaron is obviously amazing,” Adams said. “I already know what that’s like – which is similar to why I came here and reunited with Derek [Carr] was ’cause I had familiarity with him.
“And anytime you have that, it gives you a little bit more confidence than starting fresh with somebody you’ve never played with before, and it helps when they’re the best to ever play the game – or at least that’s how I feel.
“I don’t know how you feel about that, but that’s certainly how I feel, and [Rodgers has] given me an opportunity to show the world what I can do.”
In Green Bay, Adams hauled in 669 receptions for 8,121 yards and 73 touchdowns thanks to the brilliant quarterbacking of Rodgers.
While acknowledging the important role Rodgers played in his development, Adams made it clear that the four-time MVP is not the main reason why he’s such a special receiver.
“I’m not afraid to say that he definitely made me better, but he definitely didn’t create me – you see it was the same numbers the very next year in Vegas,” Adams said. “So, obviously I didn’t ‘need him’ but it makes life a hell of a lot easier, that’s for sure.”
Adams’ clear frustrations in Vegas were documented in Netflix’s new series “Receiver,” which included his support for benching quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
This context has fueled speculation, with ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky among the many who has suggested a potential trade to the Jets could be imminent.
Rodgers added to the speculation by expressing excitement about potentially playing with Adams again during the American Century Championship golf tournament.
What are your thoughts on Adams’ comments?
Do you agree with Orlovsky that there’s a very strong likelihood he’s traded to the Jets?
We know Rodgers would love to be reunited with his old buddy – and deep down, we know Adams would love that as well … But will it happen?
If it does, where would you rank the Jets among the top Super Bowl contenders in the league???