As expected, Davante Adams was released by the New York Jets after less than a year in the team and is therefore without contract in the NFL before the start of the Free Agency. But where does he go next? What are the ideal contact points for the star receiver?
Davante Adams was three years ago the Great star obligation by the Las Vegas Raiders, who wanted to start a new era in the city of sin with him and quarterback Derek Carr. At that time he came into the desert by trade from the Green Bay Packers. In the course of the 2024 season, however, the ripcord was pulled and sent him again – again with a lot of tamtam – again by trade to the New York Jets, where he was supposed to start a new era with his former companion Aaron Rodgers.
The result was rather sobering. Under a new regime there was no more space for Rodgers, which will be released at the start of the new league year on March 12th. And now that the route seems to be at Gang Green that everything and everyone who was connected to Rodgers has to go away, Adams is no longer part of the team.
In any case, Adams should still have a market, after all, in 2024 he still showed how good it can still be at the age of 32. He may no longer be able to get his elite level of once, which he showed in Green Bay, especially from 2018 to 2021 -and also in Vegas in 2022, but he still provided good arguments in the previous year.
Adams was used in the slot both in Vegas and New York (46.4 percent of his snaps), which led to a remarkable production after the catch. According to “PFF”, Adams collected 5.5 YAC per reception – as many as since its 2014 rookie season (5.8). Accordingly, his average target depth (9.1 yds) was the second lowest of his career (8.7 2020). His yards per red run were quite presentable with 2.04 after he had fallen under the 2.00 mark for the first time since 2017.
Only his drops should really be seen as a potential red flag. He dropped ten passes for the first time since 2015 and had had his highest drop rate (10.5 percent) since then (15.6).
Nevertheless, there should be some teams that could use Adams. The most likely options are the following:
NFL: Davante Adams could land here
Los Angeles Chargers
The team, which is currently very often mentioned in connection with Adams, are the Chargers. Adams is from the west coast and a return near his homeland would certainly be attractive for him. In addition, he would have an extremely talented quarterback in Justin Herbert in LA and a head coach that will do this job for longer – a repetition of unstable situations in Vegas and New York seems excluded.
With Ladd McConkey, Adams could form a dangerous duo and the tentative title window for the Chargers a little further.
Green Bay Packers
The circle would close for Adams, because in Green Bay he started his NFL trip in 2014 and experienced his best time there. His departure, in turn, was the beginning of the end for Rodgers. The Packers are said to have looked for experienced wide receivers at the combine in Indianapolis, and there were probably talks about a trade from DK Metcalf from the Seahawks.
The Packers receiver room is very young and an experienced man like Adams as the leader could help everyone involved. The only question is whether Adams are deterred by the fact that the Packers did not want to pay him at the time.
Davante Adams was one of the best receivers of the league in Green Bay
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are currently cleaning up their squad and, as is well known, Cooper Kupp will hand over to one or the other. His position could fill Adams as a big solution, after all, he recently played very often in the slot. He would give Matthew Stafford a congenial partner to Puka Nacua, who could again make the ram’s offense as explosively as it was a few years ago.
The catch: Nacua is the top receiver, Adams have to make friends with a role as number 2 and at least one has to doubt that this corresponds to its ideas.
New York Giants
The same would also apply to the Giants, in which Malik Nabers naturally developed into a top star. However, Adams would also be a very good addition and, above all, an experienced man along the side of Nabers, who otherwise actually has no veteran who could act as a mentor for the emerging star.
However, the problem with the Giants is obvious: they have no quarterback. You actually don’t have a quarterback that is under contract in 2025. After all, Tommy Devito is exclusive Rights Free Agent, so his fate determine the G-Men himself. But he won’t be the starter. And as long as this personnel is not fully clarified, it should be difficult to guide a player like Adams in the Big Apple. Unless his market would be so manageable that it would wait until the draft.
New England Patriots
While you can call the Chargers, Rams and Packers in gradations as the title candidate, it looks different with the Giants and Patriots. But while the Giants mainly have a big question mark on quarterback, there is now an exclamation mark in New England with Drake Maye. In addition, the Patriots can show most cap space by far and therefore fundamentally have no limits financially.
So if Adams do not necessarily want to play for a title, the Patriots, who urgently need top hardgets for the young QB, would be an interesting and lucrative option. It is only questionable how the relationship between Adam to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is. Both worked together in Vegas and Adams were ultimately one of those who wanted to get rid of him in 2023. In 2022, however, Adams had one of his best seasons in the NFL (100 Rec, 1516 YDS, 14 DD) under Play Caller and Head Coach McDaniels.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos surprisingly reached the playoffs in 2024 and did this with a passing game that, apart from Courtland Sutton, not many constant sizes for quarterback bo nothing. Adams would be a good second option. And they have the cap space to strike here, especially since their largest construction sites affect positions that would have to be filled in the draft with running back and tight end.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have been looking for good receivers for some time – mostly in vain. Adams would certainly be a good and experienced solution here. But here too the question is which quarterback would throw to him.
What for Pittsburgh? Mike Tomlin! Adams once said “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams on the show: “I love Mike. Whenever you have a coach who is a player trainer and you can tell that he has a good connection to his boys, this kind of coaches, regardless of whether they train me or not, always win me out.” Now he would have the chance to play for this trainer.