Raiders: Is Davante Adams even better than expected?
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders pulled the trigger on a monster trade this offseason for Davante Adams, and he could be even better than expected.
Last season, the Las Vegas Raiders had some serious issues at the wide receiver position, as they lost their WR1 during the season and really had to piece the rest of the unit together the rest of the way. Yes, Hunter Renfrow was outstanding, racking up over 100 catches, but outside of him, there was not much to talk about when it came to the position group.
In 2022, it should be quite the opposite, as the Raiders went out this offseason and brought in one of the best wideouts in the game. Davante Adams was a star for the Green Bay Packers, establishing himself as one of the top-5 players at the position, and this year, he could take his career to new heights.
Adams and current Raiders quarterback Derek Carr have a tremendous bond and put up video game-like numbers during their time at Fresno State. Now reunited in Las Vegas, the duo are set up for monster seasons, and based on the early returns, the Raiders offense looks nearly unstoppable.
Raiders’ new wideout could be even better than advertised
Las Vegas and the New England Patriots battled it out during joint practices on Tuesday ahead of their matchup in the final preseason game on Friday night. For the Raiders, it is clear they will be explosive on offense, as they were clicking in the passing game even without Darren Waller.
The connection between Adams and Carr was on full display throughout the practice, and it was clear to the Raiders beat that things are different this season. Adams is the elite wideout Carr has been missing his entire career, outside of a few good years from Amari Cooper, Nelson Agholor, and Michael Crabtree, but none of those guys are close to as talented as Adams is.
In fact, while many expected the offense to get better with Adams, I believe they take a significant step forward, with Adams being even better than most of Raider Nation could have imagined.
Of course, the big question for the offense will be the offensive line, which had a different look to it on Tuesday. Maybe the coaching staff is starting to piece together a solid unit because they looked good against New England, and if they can give Carr time, the AFC West could be the Raiders for the taking.