In the coming days and weeks, you're going to hear/see/read a lot about potential Davante Adams replacements. The Raiders are well on their way to trading him to the Jets, and it certainly seems like we've all seen the last of him playing in the Silver and Black.
Given how his contract is set up, and how much money he's owed over the next couple seasons, it feels more likely that the Raiders try and flip Adams for draft capital and cap relief, as opposed to getting players back in return. It's not a fun plan – and it'll make the Raiders look like they lost the trade at first – but it may be the best one available to them.
RELATED: Davante Adams' preferred destinations revealed in latest Raiders trade report
Going through the rest of the season without a star reciever like Adams would normally be a big ol' bummer, but the Raiders are in luck: they may already have an elite pass catcher on the roster. Allow the lovely people at NFL Next Gen stats to make this entire trade saga way, way more tolerable for you.
Brock Bowers, the tight end, is getting more separation than every single NFL wide receiver
Players averaging 5+ yards of separation this season
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) October 2, 2024
☠️ Brock Bowers
End of list.
h/t @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/9tT86lRaM2
To be clear – this isn't just tight ends. It's also not just rookies. It's everyone in the NFL. Malik Nabers! Justin Jefferson! Tyreek Hill! None of them are getting separation the way that Bowers is. And granted, Bowers isn't getting matched up on the best cornerbacks in football the way that those other guys are, but averaging over five yards of separation is insane – especially when NFL average is barely half of that.
If the Raiders are going to lose a 32-year old star pass catcher, it always helps to have a 21-year old star pass catcher on the roster. Bowers has already been putting up elite numbers through the first four games of his career, and his play has caught the attention of some of the NFL's best (arguably the best?) tight ends ever.
See? Things aren't so bad! Brock Bowers isn't going to be catching passes from Aaron Rodgers any time soon. He was averaging six targets per game with Adams, so imagine what that'll look like when the latter inevitably moves on. The Raiders aren't going to be able to replace Adams' production with whatever they get back in a trade, but they might not even need to. I'm not coping, you're coping.