Davante Adams is reunited with Aaron Rodgers. After two full seasons and two months with the Las Vegas Raiders, the star wide receiver is on the move again, being acquired by the New York Jets on Tuesday. NFL Network's insider Ian Rapoport first reported the news.
According to Rapoport, it's a conditional pick. It starts as a third-rounder, but it can go to a second based on Adams' performance this season.
And more likely than not, it will be a third-round pick, unless things go really great for the Jets from now on.
It's a fair price to pay, and it makes sense for everyone involved . The Raiders wanted a second, but it was hard for any team to justify such a high price for an older and disgruntled receiver. With the conditional, the Jets protect themselves a little bit, and will only give up significant draft capital if Adams performs at a high level.
What it means
The Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh last week and lost the first game under interim HC Jeff Ulbrich . The offense had some signs of life, but it's still not enough. At this point, everyone's job is at risk.
It means that general manager Joe Douglas, the coaching staff, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be more motivated than ever to acquire a superstar. If they have no job security beyond 2024, the draft compensation is not as important.
The Jets had to make a move, and acquiring Davante Adams puts the offense in position to be much more explosive. A combination of Adams, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Mike Williams is one of the most talented wide receiver groups in the entire league.
Contract
Davante Adams is 31 years old, will be 32 by December, so the deal is obviously a win-now move. At the same time, it has financial implications beyond this year.
For 2024, the Jets absorb $11.26 million. That's a totally fine salary to pay for a star receiver. And even though Adams hasn't played much this year, he was still playing at an extremely high level in 2023, finishing the season with 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns. This season, he had 18 receptions in three games, with 209 yards and a touchdown.
Next year, a new negotiation will probably be on the way. Adams is slated to make $36.25 million in each of the next two seasons, but none of it is guaranteed. Presumably, the parties will sit at the table to discuss an adjustment, just like the Jets did when they acquired Aaron Rodgers.
It's an all-in move. It might look desperate, but the Jets ultimately had to pull the trigger, and you can't blame them for that.
Related: Jets QB Aaron Rodgers proved again why he's the greatest QB of all time when it comes to a unique category
Local News
