Davante Adams’ repeated denials doesn’t end speculation of his future with the Raiders

AP Sports Writer

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Davante Adams took the opportunity Wednesday in his weekly in-season news conference to insist he was not looking for a way out of Las Vegas.

The question is why does this keep happening? Adams, after all, made similar comments when the Raiders opened training camp not even two months ago when trade rumors surfaced.

He finds himself somewhat regularly in this position for several reasons. That includes the Netflix docuseries “Receiver” in which Adams was clearly frustrated with Jimmy Garoppolo quarterbacking the first half of last season.

Speculation about Adams’ future will only intensify if the Raiders, whose wins total is 6 1/2 at BetMGM Sportsbook, get off to a slow start. His salary cap hit balloons from $25.35 million this season to $44.1 million in 2025 and 2026, according to Spotrac.com, and the Raiders could focus their attention more on the future if winning immediately doesn’t appear realistic.

The Raiders could prefer to move Adams to free up cap room and obtain assets, and it’s possible that the nearly 32-year-old Adams would like to go to a contender on the back end of his career.

Also consider what Adams has experienced since a blockbuster trade in March 2022 brought him over to Las Vegas from the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. He went from annual Super Bowl contenders with a future Hall of Fame quarterback to a Raiders team that has gone 14-20 in his two seasons and has made the playoffs twice in 21 years.

And in Adams’ time in Las Vegas, his quarterbacks have been Derek Carr, Jarrett Stidham, Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell, and now journeyman Gardner Minshew will open this season as the starter. None of those QBs stoke memories of Rodgers, who’s now with Jets.

So don’t be surprised if talk about Adams not being completely satisfied doesn’t go away.

Here’s a brief history of why it keeps occurring:

Second-guessing management

Adams appeared to question in a May 2023 article in The Ringer the decision by then-general manager Dave Ziegler and then-coach Josh McDaniels to sign Garoppolo.

“I’m going to have to buy into this and try to be as optimistic as possible,” Adams was quoted as saying. “It’s not what I expected to happen, but it’s something that’s the reality now.”

Adams met with Las Vegas reporters later that month and spent 2 1/2 minutes saying he was completely on board.

“At the end of the day, I’m a Raider and excited to be here,” Adams said. “I love my head coach, I love the general manager here and everybody from top to bottom. These are some good men in this place that I really value the relationship that I have with them.”

Wanting the ball

Adams wasn’t thrilled he was targeted just nine times over a two-week span in October 2023, even though the Raiders won both games.

“I’m sure people are thinking, ‘They won the game, so why is there an issue?’” Adams said. “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 have that ability to put that on the table and have an influence on the game. That’s my purpose for being here.

“I came here to win and to do it the right way, so if it doesn’t look like it’s supposed to look, then I’m going to be frustrated if I’m not part of that plan.”

Netflix series

Adams was one of the subjects in this year’s “Receiver” series, and clips showed him express his frustration as the Raiders opened the season 3-5 under Garoppolo. The Raiders then fired McDaniels and Ziegler, and then-interim coach Antonio Pierce replaced Garoppolo with O’Connell.

The quarterback change came with Adams’ approval.

“I love Jimmy, and he’s a great guy,” Adams said in the documentary. “But something had to happen in order for us to have a chance down the stretch and for me to remain a Raider.”

That comment only increased talk that Adams might be more than OK if the club traded him. He also told ESPN, “If I were to be reunited with anybody, it would be with Aaron.”

When training camp opened in July, Adams again made it clear his commitment was to Las Vegas.

“I like to think it’s a fresh slate,” Adams said. “I’ve got a whole new mentality.”

No unhappy talk

DeSean Jackson went on the “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” show last week and said Adams was disgruntled with the Raiders.

When asked Wednesday, Adams said he has seldom spoken with Jackson and never in depth.

“Only person I really talk to about my feelings in general is my wife probably, and she ain’t out there leaking anything and dropping stuff like that in the media,” Adams said.

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