Wide receiver Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up ahead of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, October 9, 2023. /CFP
Wide receiver Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up ahead of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, October 9, 2023. /CFP
The Las Vegas Raiders has informed the rest of the National Football League (NFL) that they will not trade their All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams before the trade deadline on October 31, ESPN reported on Saturday.
The Raiders acquired Adams from the Green Bay Packers in March 2022 before locking him on a five-year, $141.25 million deal. He was targeted 180 times and caught 100 of those passes for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns. However, the Raiders won only six of their 17 games and failed to make the playoffs.
Though Adams continued to start for the Raiders this season, he was only targeted 59 times in six games with 39 catches for 471 yards and three touchdowns. The team is currently 3-3 and in the second place in the American Football Conference (AFC) West.
Having seen his role shrink in the Raiders' offense, Adams expressed his frustration in public this week. "I'm a human being and I have extremely high standards for myself in this offense," he said. "I'm sure people are thinking, 'They won the game, why is there an issue?'"
Wide receiver Davante Adams (#17) of the Las Vegas Raiders catches a pass in the game against the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, October 15, 2023. /CFP
Wide receiver Davante Adams (#17) of the Las Vegas Raiders catches a pass in the game against the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, October 15, 2023. /CFP
"I mean, you see why it's an issue. Y'all should know who I am, know what I'm about at this point ... when you're a player like me, mentally, my benchmark is not wins and losses – it's greatness. So when I go out there, I expect to be able to have that ability to put that on tape and have an influence on the game. That's my purpose for being here. I'm not here just to hang out; I came here to win and to do it the right way," the three-time First-team All-Pro selection and two-time receiving touchdowns leader added.
Adams' remarks triggered more trade rumors, which actually were spreading last season, about him. The Baltimore Ravens, the Carolina Panthers and the Minnesota Vikings are all in need for an elite receiver like Adams.
"Our job is to make sure our best players have an opportunity to impact the game, and they can only do what they can do," the Raiders' head coach Josh McDaniels said on Wednesday. "So he's going to do everything he can to help us win, I know that for sure. He's got a great attitude and mindset. He's as competitive as a guy I've ever been around, and he should want the ball and he should want to contribute."