Davante Adams Open To Packers Reunion?
As Matt LaFleur set out to annoy fantasy GMs with his wide receiver setup over the past two years, the Packers have seen some growth from their array of young talent. Jayden Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft have emerged as quality targets, with the likes of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs showing flashes as regulars.
The Packers, however, have not featured a 900-yard receiver since the 2021 season. Their 2022 Davante Adams tag-and-trade move ended a run of Pro Bowl seasons at the position. Reed’s 857-yard 2024 represents the highwater mark over the past three years. The Packers have ranked 12th in passing yards in each of Jordan Love‘s two seasons, and Josh Jacobs recently suggested the team should pursue a true No. 1-level wide receiver this offseason.
Although Tee Higgins is expected to reach free agency, the bidding for the five-year Bengals target will run hot. As LaFleur also has pushed back against the idea his offense needs a defined WR1, Adams is likely to be available again. And he is believed to be open to a Packers reunion, according to Madison.com’s Jason Wilde.
This, of course, does not mean the Packers would automatically be interested in adding the off-and-on Aaron Rodgers weapon. They already cashed out via the 2022 Raiders swap, fetching first- and second-round picks. That said, Adams confirmed Green Bay offered a better deal compared to Las Vegas’ (five years, $140MM) in 2022. The Packers were unable to complete an extension with Adams ahead of his 2021 contract year, an All-Pro showing, and the Fresno State alum ended up preferring a reunion with Derek Carr over staying with the Packers. That would make an about-face involving Green Bay rather interesting, especially with Rodgers long gone.
Adams has also been tied to heading back to the west coast. It is not certain the Jets bail via release, as a third Adams trade could conceivably occur. It would likely take the Jets eating some salary to move on. As it stands, Gang Green will not pay Adams $35.64MM in 2025. If they move on via release, cap savings of $29.9MM would come the retooling team’s way. The Jets are also expected to cut Rodgers, representing a clean break after a two-year period in which the team centered around the aging QB.
Adams is now 32, but he showed in New York he remains capable of quality play. Though, Adams probably is not capable of production on the level of his previous Packers form any longer. That could dissuade a team from giving up assets to land his through-2026 contract. Considering the Packers’ stance on their receiver room, it would be borderline farfetched for Green Bay to dive back in — especially now that Love is already on a $55MM-per-year contract.
Breaking through in 2016, Adams has totaled at least 997 receiving yards in each of the past eight seasons. Six 1,000-yard campaigns are mixed into that run, as the former Green Bay second-rounder has made a Hall of Fame case. Adams led the NFL with 18 touchdown receptions in 2020, and he boosted Rodgers to his fourth MVP a year later with a career-high 1,553 receiving yards. Rodgers’ attempts to convince Adams to stay in 2022 did not work out, though the duo reunited in New York two years later.
The Packers have run into a health issue at receiver as well, as Watson is likely to begin the 2025 late due to the ACL tear he sustained in Week 18. Watson and Doubs are going into contract years, with Reed and Dontayvion Wicks signed through 2026. It will be interesting to see if the Packers do add a notable receiver piece this offseason, even though Adams appears likelier to end up elsewhere.
Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Glenn Had Multiple Meetings; Jets Also Likely To Separate From Davante Adams
Darren Mougey may soon be tied to the two largest single-player dead money hits in NFL history. Mougey worked with Sean Payton and George Paton as the Broncos signed off on an astonishing $83MM-plus in Russell Wilson dead cap, and he is now in charge of a Jets team prepared to move on from Aaron Rodgers. The expected release would come with a $49MM dead money charge, which figures to also be spread out into two offseasons via a post-June 1 designation.
If the Jets are to take that route, they must wait until March 12 to release Rodgers. The Jets communicated with their high-profile quarterback late last week, with SI.com’s Albert Breer reporting the team flew Rodgers in for that meeting. This was not the only time Rodgers and new Jets HC Aaron Glenn spoke this offseason, as ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini indicates the two had multiple conversations since the hire.
[RELATED: Jets Aiming To Pair Rookie, Veteran QBs]
The Broncos had faced a deadline on Wilson’s 2025 salary becoming guaranteed had he not been released before the 2024 vesting date, whereas Rodgers’ 2025 salary is nonguaranteed right now. The Jets could also be prepared to cut the at once, with OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald pointing to the more likely scenario being Rodgers is released soon and thus not set to carry a post-June 1 designation. Rather than the Jets taking on $14MM in dead cap this year and $35MM in 2026, a standard release would tag them with the entire bill in 2025.
New regimes generally care less about dead money charges associated with previous staffs, but given the high turnover rate (especially in the coaching ranks) in the modern NFL, it would stand to reason Glenn would not want $49MM clogging the Jets’ 2025 salary cap. Despite Glenn having a high opinion of Rodgers’ abilities during the latter’s final Packers season and the two being amenable to working together with the Jets, the AFC East team has been widely expected to move on from a failed experiment for several weeks. The Sunday report offered some finality, and the timing of the official move will clear up the financial component.
Rodgers, 41, was open to reworking his deal yet again, SNY’s Connor Hughes offers. Rodgers took a significant pay cut in reworking his deal upon arriving in New York, and the polarizing QB did not insist on a new deal during his Packers standoff in 2021. (The Packers did give him one in 2022, designing the contract to help facilitate a 2023 trade.) Rodgers has earned more than $380MM in his career; fit figures to be his primary concern if he plays a 21st season.
It is not yet known if that will happen, though ESPN’s Adam Schefter said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance that he does expect a 21st season to commence (video link). We asked readers in December where Rodgers would end up. Retirement won out, and the Raiders checked in as the top non-Jets option. While I suggested the Titans in a Trade Rumors Front Office piece, that came before Tennessee obtained the No. 1 overall pick. As of now, DraftKings has the Steelers as a slight favorite for Rodgers, with the Raiders and 49ers checking in at second and third here.
Rodgers has enjoyed a weekly spot on McAfee’s show for a while, frequently using the platform to levy various criticisms and make a number of interesting statements — many not pertaining to football. Had Rodgers been asked to stay with the Jets, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said during her Scoop City podcast (via Awful Announcing) Glenn and Mougey would have wanted him to ditch the McAfee segments and focus on football. This follows a Glenn introductory presser where he seemed to draw a line from a period where the Jets constantly catered to Rodgers, whose relationship with Woody Johnson also deteriorated during this span.
As fun as a Rodgers-Mike Tomlin pairing would be, Pittsburgh has been closely connected to re-signing either Wilson or Justin Fields; Fields may be the more likely candidate to be retained. Rodgers would be a passing upgrade on both, but pivoting from a 25-year-old Fields for a 41-year-old Rodgers would be an interesting route. Fields staying in Pittsburgh would place Wilson and Kirk Cousins as veterans competing with Rodgers for jobs, adding intrigue to a QB market that may or may not include Sam Darnold — depending on the Vikings’ franchise tag call. A robust Rodgers market may not be too likely, but teams figure to show interest.
If Rodgers is out in New York, it should come as no surprise that Davante Adams is likely gone too. The Jets will not keep Adams on his Raiders-designed contract, per Breer, who notes the All-Pro receiver is almost certainly to be jettisoned soon.
Adams is tied to no guaranteed money on his through-2026 deal, but a Jets October restructure added two void years to his deal. Still, cutting the 32-year-old wideout would create more than $29MM in cap space. The team has not been in contact with the Taco Bell pitchman, who has since been linked to west coast teams like the Rams, Chargers and 49ers.
The Rodgers-Adams pairing leaving town may be good news for the Jets’ hopes of appeasing Garrett Wilson, who was believed to be clashing with the QB and taking issue with his targets following the Adams trade. The Jets will pick up Wilson’s fifth-year option by the May deadline, putting him under contract through 2026. If/when Adams is out, the Jets will again need to address their No. 2 receiver post — a common issue for Gang Green in recent years.
Davante Adams “Intrigued” By Move To West Coast; Jets Have Not Been In Contact
10:43pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms a move out west will be something to watch for in the event Adams is released (video link). Notably, he adds the new Jets regime of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn has not yet been in contact with Adams’ camp about a potential restructured deal. Until discussions on that front take place, this situation will be filled with uncertainty.
11:12am: Davante Adams has been generally noncommittal about a return to the Jets. The star receiver’s contract allows him to effectively control his own destiny, and if he wishes to move on from New York, he may be eyeing a move west.
[RELATED: Davante Adams On Future With Jets]
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Adams is “intrigued” by a move to the west coast, with a source specifically pointing to the Rams and Chargers as an option. Fowler also adds the 49ers as a potential suitor, noting Adams’ connection to Northern California.
Adams’ two-plus season stint in Las Vegas ended this past season when he was traded to the Jets. Despite teaming up with old friend Aaron Rodgers, things obviously didn’t go as planned. The Jets went 3-8 when Adams was in the lineup, and the veteran ended up finishing with his fewest yards from scrimmage since the 2019 campaign. Following the season, Adams admitted he “would love to be a part of this football team,” although he cautioned that a number of factors would come into play (including the status of Rodgers).
While Adams is technically signed through the 2026 season, he has the ability to push his way out of New York. The Jets previously restructured the wideout’s 2024 salary without touching his 2025 and 2026 figures, leaving untenable base salaries of $35.6MM for each of the next two seasons. If the Jets want to keep Adams, they’ll surely require another restructured deal to keep the wideout on the books. If the receiver decides he wants out, he could simply decline the inevitable restructure request, which would ultimately lead to his release.
Considering Adams’ track record, he wouldn’t have a lack of suitors should he hit free agency, and each of the cited teams could make sense. The Rams are looking to move on from Cooper Kupp, which would open a significant spot in their receivers room opposite Puka Nacua. Kupp’s health concerns have surely played a role in the Rams’ decision to move on, although the team is also making it clear that they’re not looking to pay $20MM for a veteran WR.
The Chargers got a standout season from rookie Ladd McConkey, but there are questions behind their young wide receiver. Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston is still under contract, but the second-year player struggled with drops and inconsistency in 2024. Much of the rest of the team’s depth chart, which includes the likes of Josh Palmer, DJ Chark, and Simi Fehoko, are set to hit free agency, so the team could be in the market for another notable pass catcher.
The 49ers are loaded with pass catchers. Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings are attached to veteran pacts, and the team added a pair of rookies last year in first rounder Ricky Pearsall and fourth rounder Jacob Cowing (not to mention tight end George Kittle, who led the team in receiving yards). The organization has shown an ability to juggle multiple offensive stars, but an Adams acquisition would surely push another big name off the roster.
AFC East Rumors: Van Pelt, Jets, Dolphins
Both the Giants and Vikings submitted viable offers to the Patriots for the No. 3 overall pick last year, with each NFC franchise eyeing Drake Maye. Each would have netted the Pats an additional second-rounder in last year’s draft and a first this year. New York’s proposal would have given New England this year’s third overall choice, but Maye now serves as the Pats’ franchise centerpiece. Ultimately, then-acting GM Eliot Wolf and ownership stayed and picked Maye. Though, there appeared to be some supporters of accepting a trade-down offer. At the time, it is believed OC Alex Van Pelt was among those who viewed the Pats’ roster as too deficient to pass on moving down, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes.
While it may not be certain Mike Vrabel moves on from Van Pelt, the OC effectively confirmed this by telling friends he had been fired following the team’s Week 18 game. This came despite the organization being pleased with how he had helped develop Maye. Vrabel’s next play-caller’s chief assignment will be elevating Maye to another level in 2025.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- In December, Davante Adams was noncommittal about his Jets future. After all, the player responsible for him being traded to New York — Aaron Rodgers — appears on his way out. After the season, Adams did not confirm (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he would be following Rodgers out the door, but he said staying with the team post-Rodgers would depend on a few factors. Adams’ Raiders-built contract runs through 2026. Allen Lazard was more enthusiastic about staying with the Jets. The lower-profile Rodgers come-with guy at receiver, Lazard went from being a healthy scratch at a point in 2023 to totaling 530 yards and six touchdowns this season. Lazard said (via Cimini) he wants to stay and later retire a Jet. Though, his four-year, $44MM contract would produce $11MM in savings if removed from the payroll via a post-June 1 release.
- Calais Campbell said before season’s end he was not closing the door on playing an 18th NFL season, and the accomplished defensive lineman noted after the Dolphins‘ year wrapped (via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that he will consider an age-39 slate. Campbell notched five sacks, and his 12 tackles for loss were his most since 2018. The Dolphins had him on their books for just $2MM this season, and after they nearly traded him back to the Ravens at the deadline, it stands to reason the Miami alum will look into landing with a contender soon.
- Elsewhere on the Dolphins’ roster, both Jaelan Phillips and Austin Jackson are expected to be fine for the 2025 opener, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. Phillips, who suffered an Achilles tear in 2023 and a partially torn ACL this season, is going into his fifth-year option campaign. Jackson, who suffered a meniscus tear, is tied to a three-year, $36MM extension. Swing tackle Kendall Lamm is almost definitely set to depart in free agency, Jackson adds. The Dolphins’ Patrick Paul second-round draft choice had pointed the veteran elsewhere. That said, Grier said the Dolphins “are going to have to” invest in O-linemen this offseason. While the team has three higher-end tackle investments under contract, its interior situation is less solidified.
- Staying with O-lines, Vrabel confirmed (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the Patriots‘ front will be a priority this offseason. This echoes a recent report that suggested OL and WR would be New England’s top target areas. The Pats struggled up front, with the loss of David Andrews and the left tackle carousel being among the issues. Vrabel leaned on the ground game in Tennessee, largely because of Derrick Henry‘s presence, but the Pats have by far the most cap space exiting the season. With questions existing just about everywhere outside of Michael Onwenu‘s presence (and even his position has fluctuated), allocating considerable resources up front seems likely as the Pats attempt to protect Maye.
Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson On Future With Jets
The Jets were officially eliminated from playoff contention by virtue of today’s loss to the Dolphins. Of course, the 3-10 club – which came into the season with championship aspirations – has not looked like a viable contender at any point during the campaign, and it will go into the offseason at yet another organizational crossroads.
Gang Green will need to hire a new head coach and general manager and will need to make a final decision on the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. There are also plenty of high-profile, non-QB talents to monitor, including the top two wideouts on the team’s depth chart.
Davante Adams’ dissatisfaction with the Raiders’ quarterback situation led him to engineer a midseason trade to the Jets in the hopes that a reunion with Rodgers would help both players recapture some of the form they displayed as longtime teammates in Green Bay. In the immediate aftermath of the trade, Adams expressed his desire to remain with the Jets beyond 2024, though he has naturally become more non-committal in the waning days of another lost season.
When asked this week about his future with the club, Adams said, “[that’s] a great question, and I truly don’t have the answer to it right now” (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).
Adams further indicated that his contract situation and Rodgers’ status would be factors in his New York future.
“I would love to be a part of this football team,” he said (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). “… I’d love to go to war with these guys, but it’s a business and there are a lot of pieces, contractually, and, obviously, with Aaron’s future — a lot of things that I can’t control. Hopefully, we do enough to where everybody’s feeling like it’s the right thing to do for us to stay here.”
Cimini, echoing recent reports, says that Rodgers is unlikely to be back with the team in 2025, which would encourage Adams to cut ties. Adams is still under club control through 2026 thanks to the Raiders-constructed deal that the Jets took on when they acquired him, but as Rapoport observes, the three-time First Team All-Pro controls his own destiny.
New York restructured Adams’ 2024 salary while leaving his 2025 and 2026 figures untouched, meaning that Adams is due base salaries of $35.6MM over each of the next two years. However, no portion of those salaries is guaranteed, and all parties know that the Jets will not retain Adams at those price points. Another restructure would therefore be necessary to keep the soon-to-be 32-year-old on the roster, but if Adams wants to leave, he can simply decline such a restructure – if the Jets even approach him about one – and effectively force his release.
Per Cimini, there has been no indication that Adams’ younger running mate, Garrett Wilson, is planning his own exit strategy by requesting a trade. The 2022 draftee is eligible for an extension at the end of the 2024 season, and though he continues to be one of Rodgers’ top targets, his production has declined in recent weeks. Unlike Adams, however, Wilson says his tenure with the Jets will be unaffected by Rodgers’ fate.
“No impact. No impact,” Wilson said. “I’ve been here with Aaron, and I’ve been here without him. No impact.”
The Jets rebuffed trade interest in Wilson at this year’s deadline, and the immensely talented 24-year-old is clearly a foundational piece upon which New York can rebuild. Wilson’s trade suitors were reportedly willing to offer him a new contract this offseason, and while the Jets could do the same, they can also control him at team-friendly rates through 2026 and franchise tag him in 2027. Speculatively, Wilson’s thoughts about requesting a trade could change if it becomes clear that his current employer is not interested in immediate extension negotiations.
For now, he is clearly suggesting that he will be back next year.
“[Whichever quarterback] they send me out there with (in 2025), I’m going to put my best foot forward and try to show that I belong, that I’m one of the guys in this league that’s a great player,” Wilson said. “So I just have to figure out a way to prove that. I thought it would be easier this year. It hasn’t been.”
Jets GM Joe Douglas On Future With Team, Robert Saleh Dismissal; Latest On Owner Woody Johnson
At his midseason press conference on Wednesday, which lasted less than 10 minutes (h/t Rich Cimini of ESPN.com), GM Joe Douglas offered a few terse, notable non-answers with respect to owner Woody Johnson’s decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh without Douglas’ input.
When asked whether he agreed with Johnson’s call, Douglas did not answer directly. He merely said that he had nothing more to add to the conversation and that, “I serve at the pleasure of the owner” (per Brian Costello of the New York Post, Douglas and Saleh enjoyed a close relationship, and Costello believes it unlikely that Douglas would have recommended Saleh’s dismissal).
In the immediate aftermath of Saleh’s ouster — which Cimini says upset some players — it was reported that Douglas would at least survive the current season. However, 2024 is the last year of his contract, and unless the 3-6 Jets surge to a playoff berth, it would be surprising if Douglas is retained for 2025. While he does have some highlights on his resume, the 30-62 record he has compiled over his five-plus seasons at the top of Gang Green’s front office and the abject failure of his Zach Wilson selection would likely be too much to overcome if New York does not qualify for the postseason.
That said, he indicated he is still hopeful that the Jets can make a playoff push, and he cited his club’s improved performance in a Halloween win over the Texans as reason for optimism. When asked about his own job security, he said, “I come in here every day, just do whatever I can to help this team reach its goals and get to its destination. Whatever happens, happens” (via Cimini).
In addition to the win-now acquisition of wide receiver Davante Adams — which, per Cimini, was done with an eye towards improving the locker room culture as well as the on-field product — Douglas followed through on a trade of fellow wideout Mike Williams, securing a fifth-round pick in a draft (2025) that he may not get to oversee. Douglas signed Williams to a one-year, $10MM deal this offseason, and he indicated during his presser that Williams’ inability to get on the field during spring work and for a portion of training camp undermined his Jets’ tenure.
“Not being part … of OTAs, not being able to be part of a majority of training camp, just could never really get that synched up,” Douglas said (via Costello). “This is a great opportunity for him to have a fresh start. It’s a move that we wouldn’t have made had we not felt good about the guys we have in the room. Us acquiring a player like Davante gives us the flexibility if a team wants to be aggressive to acquire a player like Mike, we can do that.”
When Saleh was hired, Johnson was serving as the ambassador to the United Kingdom for then-President Donald Trump. His brother, Christopher Johnson, worked with Douglas in running the HC search and bringing Saleh aboard.
Following Trump’s recent re-election, many believe Woody Johnson will again depart the team to return to the U.K. or to accept a different appointment, as Costello reports in a separate piece (a report that Ian Rapoport of NFL.com echoes). However, such an appointment would likely not happen until Johnson has had time to make a decision on Douglas’ future, set a budget, and hire the team’s next permanent head coach. Christopher Johnson would then step back in to oversee day-to-day operations.
More Davante Adams Fallout: Carr, Raiders, Rodgers, Jets, Young
After engineering a trade to the Raiders in 2022, Davante Adams‘ relationship with the team deteriorated after the benching of Derek Carr, eventually leading to Adams’ trade request and departure to the Jets.
His frustration stemmed from the Raiders’ lack of a long-term plan at quarterback after moving on from Carr, Adams’ college teammate at Fresno State, in favor of Jarrett Stidham during the 2022 season. Las Vegas released Carr and let Stidham walk in free agency during the offseason in favor of an expensive and injured Jimmy Garoppolo, despite interest from then-leadership duo of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler in trading up for Bryce Young.
Adams expressed some doubt about the decision to sign Garoppolo, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini and Paul Gutierrez, the first sign of his discontent. He played through three starting quarterback changes and the midseason firing of McDaniels to record his fourth 1,000-yard season in a row in 2023 and endorsed interim head coach Antonio Pierce for the Raiders’ full-time gig. Adams then wanted to upgrade to a younger quarterback with a higher ceiling during the offseason, but was frustrated once again when new general manager Tom Telesco signed Gardner Minshew instead. With seemingly no long-term vision for the team’s most important position, the 31-year-old Adams sought greener pastures and officially requested a trade from the Raiders.
- The Raiders were aware of their star receiver’s frustration, but they were still shocked by the timing of the trade. The team believed that Adams’ hamstring was healthy enough to play in Week 5, but rather than declare himself ready to play, Adams told Pierce and Telesco that he wanted a trade.
- Once Adams identified teams he’d rather play for, the Raiders knew the writing was on the wall and prepared for a short- and long-term future without the All-Pro wideout. It was clear that Adams’ hamstring injury would keep him on the sidelines until he was in a new uniform, so Las Vegas considered him as good as gone before trade talks even picked up.
- Pierce said that there was “nothing to talk about” in regards to Adams’ sideline rants aired in Netflix’s “Receiver” documentary series, but his receiver’s profanity-laden outbursts drew plenty of attention around the league, especially since Adams allowed his comments to air. Adams had to be talked out of permitting even more critical vents about the team, indicating that his displeasure behind the scenes was even greater than what was showed publicly.
- Talks between the Jets and Raiders commenced at the beginning of September, with negotiations gaining steam ahead of the Jets’ visit to London in Week 5. With Adams zeroed in on a reunion with Aaron Rodgers, his eventual arrival in New York was only a matter of time.
- Raiders owner Mark Davis had previously expressed the desire to pair Adams with the franchise’s next long-term quarterback, but he admitted that the trade was a difficult, but necessary decision. “I’ve grown up in this sport,” said Davis, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “There is the business side of the building and the football side of the building. The football side is tough love, man.”
Teams Have Contacted Jets About WR Garrett Wilson; Jets Not Interested In Trade
Since the Jets acquired Davante Adams via trade, it has seemed like only a matter of time before the club deals one of the other wide receivers on its depth chart. While Mike Williams was (and is) the most obvious trade candidate, rival teams have also expressed interest in landing a different WR.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, several teams reached out to Jets brass in the wake of the Adams trade to gauge New York’s interest in moving Garrett Wilson, who has represented one of the few bright spots on the Gang Green offense over the past several seasons. Unsurprisingly, the club has rebuffed all such overtures.
With the soon-to-be 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and a front office and coaching staff that may well be facing a “playoffs or bust” mandate, the Jets are very much in win-now mode (an endeavor bolstered by their recent agreement ending edge defender Haason Reddick‘s holdout). The long-rumored acquisition of Adams was always intended to complement Wilson, not push him off the roster, regardless of the draft capital New York could land in such a move.
The No. 10 overall pick of the 2022 draft, Wilson posted over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two professional seasons, despite being far and away the best pass-catching option on an offense quarterbacked predominantly by Zach Wilson. Garrett Wilson earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2022, and while he and Rodgers have struggled to develop a consistent rapport in 2024, the future Hall of Fame signal-caller has targeted the Ohio State product 67 times over the first six games of the current campaign (including a whopping 23 targets in a Week 5 loss to the Vikings).
In Week 6, with Todd Downing calling offensive plays for the first time for the Jets, Rodgers and Wilson connected eight times on 10 targets, leading to 107 yards and a score for the third-year receiver. With Adams now in the fold to draw some attention from opposing defenses, the club hopes Wilson will be even more productive and help key a playoff push.
Per Schefter, the teams that were interested in trading for Wilson were also willing to extend him next offseason, at which point he will have three years of service time and will therefore be eligible for a second contract. The wide receiver market is positively booming, and at some point in the near future, Wilson will likely be one of the many beneficiaries of that trend. Whether his next deal comes from the Jets remains to be seen, but it would be a shock if he did not remain with the club at least through the remainder of the season.
Schefter also notes that the Raiders were at one point interested in having Williams be part of the return in an Adams trade. Las Vegas general manager Tom Telesco, of course, was the Chargers’ GM when he drafted Williams and later authorized a $20MM/year extension for him, so his appreciation for Williams’ game is clear. Nonetheless, it seems plain that 2024 is a transition year for the Raiders, so acquiring a player who is now on a one-year contract would have registered as a curious decision. Ultimately, Telesco and Jets GM Joe Douglas settled on a conditional third-round pick as the cost for Adams, with New York also agreeing to take on the remainder of Adams’ 2024 salary.
While Williams will not be traded prior to tonight’s matchup with the Steelers, the Jets are open to dealing him before the November 5 deadline. Pittsburgh, the Saints, and the Chargers have all expressed interest in his services.
Jets Rumors: 2024 Season, Reddick, Williams
At 2-4, this is not where the Jets thought they would be at this point of the 2024 NFL season. With so many glaring issues on the team that point to that record, one isn’t wrong to wonder why New York would make the big move to trade for wide receiver Davante Adams that they made this week. According to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, the answer is pretty simple.
It’s all or nothing for many important figures in the Jets organization this season. The team has already parted ways with former head coach Robert Saleh, and if things don’t improve, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich and general manager Joe Douglas won’t be far behind him. To date, the Jets are 29-60 with Douglas as GM and have yet to make the playoffs with him at the helm. Add in the fact that quarterback Aaron Rodgers may not want to be playing next year at 42 years old, and there’s a chance New York will be home to a new head coach, GM, and quarterback in 2025.
All of this is on the table with an unsuccessful 2024 campaign, so everyone in New York is all-in on whatever it takes to win this season. When Saleh’s head was the first to roll, it became clear that drastic changes were needed in order for the rest of the crew to retain their jobs. If that means kowtowing to Rodgers and trading for his favorite receiver from their time in Green Bay, it appears that that’s what will happen. As evidence, a serious offer for Adams reportedly didn’t even come until after Saleh was let go, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
Here are a few other rumors from the Jets in recent days:
- The Jets have been actively shopping pass rusher Haason Reddick after trading for him this offseason. They may be a bit selective on where he goes, though. Breer points out that, should New York trade Reddick to an NFC team, the pick conditional pick that they sent to the Eagles for him goes from a third-round pick to a second-rounder. As much as they’d like to wash their hands of the situation, the pick difference is severe enough that they’re likely being picky about how they deal Reddick.
- Another potential trade piece after the acquisition of Adams, it appears that wide receiver Mike Williams will play this weekend against the Steelers, per Connor Hughes of SportsNet New York. Ulbrich made the announcement today after Williams was a full participant at practice.
Jets Restructure Davante Adams’ Deal
OCTOBER 18: Providing further details on the restructure, ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes nearly all of Adams’ 2024 salary ($10.45MM) was converted into a signing bonus to create the immediate cap savings. While void years are now present, no changes have been made to the 2025 and ’26 salaries at this point. Further work to the pact – including the infusion of new guarantees – will no doubt be coming this offseason if Adams is to meet his goal of remaining in New York for years to come.
OCTOBER 15: The Raiders found a team willing to pay Davante Adams‘ full remaining salary. Undoubtedly lowering the trade price, the Jets are absorbing the $10.9MM left on the All-Pro receiver’s base salary this year. As was the case with the Aaron Rodgers trade, the Jets are making a change to give themselves more breathing room.
A restructure will take place, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who indicates the revised agreement will reduce Adams’ 2024 base salary. That number stood at $16.89MM coming into the season, but with six games passing, it dropped below $11MM. While the new number is not yet known, the Jets are pushing money into the future to help defray some of the immediate cost.
Base-to-bonus restructures and the introduction of void years can help cut cap numbers, and Rapoport adds the Jets appear likely to adjust the talented wide receiver’s deal for 2025 and ’26 (no void years are on Adams’ deal prior to this restructure). Void years will now be included, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who reports the Jets have dropped Adams’ cap number to $3.21MM by adding two void years. Adams’ deal still runs through 2026, but the voids technically push it through 2028.
Adams is due nonguaranteed $35.6MM and $36.6MM cap figures, respectively, over the next two seasons. Those lofty numbers are part of the five-year, $140MM extension Adams signed upon being traded to the Raiders. That fit did not end up panning out, and the Jets had long loomed as an interested party — dating back to their April 2023 Rodgers trade.
While negotiations had pushed a deal near completion Monday, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes the salary component represented the final hurdle. The Raiders’ insistence an acquiring team pick up the full tab had loomed as a key component in this trade, and while the AFC West team probably would have received more in terms of trade compensation by agreeing to pay part of Adams’ remaining 2024 salary, the organization stood pat and sent the full number to the Jets’ payroll. That will now be stretched beyond 2024.
This transaction will make it more difficult for the Jets to move on from Adams after this year. Previously, the Jets would have taken on no dead money from a 2025 separation. Though, they would have faced a near-impossible task in attempting to trade a contract featuring a $35.6MM 2025 base salary.
Although Rodgers has described the team as all in after this trade, he has indicated an openness to playing beyond 2024. Rodgers’ uncertain future in Green Bay affected Adams’ decision to pass on a 2022 Packers extension offer, leading to the tag-and-trade maneuver, and the 11th-year wideout also was linked to hesitancy regarding the Jets due to Rodgers’ cloudy post-2024 plans in New York. Though, it appears the parties are onboard. Adams being tied to the Jets through 2026 will assuredly factor into Rodgers’ retirement considerations this coming offseason.
As part of a summer 2023 restructure, a $35MM roster bonus would come Rodgers’ way if he decides to play again next season. The 2025 season would be Rodgers’ 21st should he decide to stick around. Of course, the Jets firing Robert Saleh and having Joe Douglas on a hot seat — though, it may not be as hot as we previously thought — complicates even Rodgers’ 2025 status. Of course, QB talent is quite hard to procure, so a new Jets regime — if that is the way ownership proceeds after this already-tumultuous season — would need to factor that into the decision as well.
For the first time since 2020, Rodgers and Adams are each under contract for multiple seasons together. The Jets will hope this deal can trigger a midseason turnaround, as they have now checked off the top box on the QB’s wish list.