HUGE DEPARTURE: Raiders Have Confirmed The Departure Of Team Most Experienced and Fans Favourite Star Due To His High Wage

The Las Vegas Raiders may not want to move star wide receiver Davante Adams, but if they choose to sell high rather than continue to pay him astronomical sums to play for a mediocre team, now is the moment. Adams, 31, is a six-time Pro Bowler who did not receive honours last season despite catching 103 passes for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns. And he did it all while Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Aidan O’Connell threw him the football. That kind of output will have competitive NFL teams salivating if Las Vegas decides to put Adams on the market before the November 5 deadline. This should allow the Raiders to clean up in a trade return while also removing a significant amount of money from their books.

The New York Jets have been the prime suspect in Adams’ interest, as his former Green Bay Packers colleague and future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers is healthy and guiding the Jets’ offence on what the organization believes will be a Super Bowl push in 2024. However, Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team has recommended a potential Super Bowl contender as Adams’ trade partner: the Detroit Lions. “We need to save Adams from playing in Vegas for another year, and Detroit’s explosive offence is the best way to maximize the rest of his career,” Valentino said on Thursday, August 29. “In exchange, the Raiders save $17.5 million in 2024, and greater than $36 million in 2025 and 2026.

Taking a chance on Jameson Williams is what seals the deal.” The Lions selected Williams with the 12th overall choice in the 2022 draft. He still has two years and a team option left on his rookie contract, which is valued just under $17.5 million over four guaranteed years. Williams has appeared in only 18 regular-season games in his two professional seasons, totaling 25 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns.

Despite his lack of availability and production, the 23-year-old still has great talent and would fit better into the Raiders’ prospective success timeline than the much more expensive Adams. Of course, Williams alone will not be enough to convince the Raiders to part with a talent like Adams, so any deal would most likely include an early Day 2 choice in the second or third round. Detroit owns one second-round pick and one fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft. Those two assets — Williams and a quality draft pick — combined with the cap relief may be enough for Las Vegas to bite the bullet and concede that, as good as Adams is, he’s a luxury they don’t need after an 8-9 season in 2023 with Gardner Minshew at quarterback.