For about a couple of weeks now, we've known that the Las Vegas Raiders were likely to part ways with former All Pro wide receiver Davante Adams. After initially requesting a trade, it seemed inevitable that Adams would be on a new team in a matter of days.
Fast forward to present day, and Adams has missed a couple of games due to a hamstring injury which may or may not have had an impact on any potential trade interest from other teams.
Injury aside, though, the main issue stemming from this trade saga appears to be the fact that no other team wants to pay the price the Raiders have demanded: a second-round pick. Not only that, but other teams have asked the Raiders to pay down some of Adams' salary in a deal, and Las Vegas appears unwilling to do that, to this day.
In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter was asked to weigh-in on the Adams trade situation. In addition to once again confirming that no teams have wanted to pay a second-round pick for Adams, and teams continuing to be unwilling to pay Adams' full salary, Schefter offered a pretty sobering take.
Essentially, Schefter places the entire trade saga on Mark Davis' shoulders, saying that unless he changes his mind, "nothing is going to happen with Davante Adams."
"Unless Mark Davis changes his stance nothing is gonna happen with Davante Adams" @AdamSchefter #PMSLive https://t.co/QxsoCJIxmg pic.twitter.com/Grxaz19U7C
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 14, 2024
Is this where the kids might say something like, "big yikes?"
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You mean to tell me that, after all of this, Adams might not get traded?
The Raiders will be in an unavoidably awkward situation if Davante Adams stays put
If the Raiders are indeed unable to get a deal done involving Adams, it will undoubtedly put an awkward, dark cloud over the organization for the remainder of the year.
Here's the deal... Adams can be cut after this season. He's essentially on a one-year deal, as it is. The Raiders can save $28.4 million in 2025 by cutting Adams. The problem is, if they do that, they won't get anything in return.
Davis is putting not only himself, but the Raiders organization, in what might be a pretty hilarious position. To end up keeping Adams after the deadline, watch him continue to be frustrated with the direction of the team and ultimately releasing him after the season would be a complete nightmare.
At this point, Davis might just have to grit his teeth and quit digging his heels in. Either accepting a slightly-lower return, helping out a trade partner financially, or both, should be on the table for Davis and the front office. There is no going back. The relationship already seems to have soured, and Adams is sick of waiting around to win.
It would be a total Mark Davis thing to do for this team to keep Adams only to cut him during the offseason, though. We can't deny that.