Davante Adams keeps finding a way to linger around the Raiders, even after the team moved on from him and tried to turn the page.
Las Vegas brought Adams in to be the player who could push the franchise over the top. Instead, he delivered the kind of short burst that made him famous, the Raiders still fell short, and his time in the building ended with enough friction that nobody in Las Vegas was eager to relive it. Since the trade to the New York Jets, Adams has also made a habit of taking shots at the Raiders and criticizing them whenever the opportunity has come up.
That history has turned him into a name Raiders fans would rather not hear. But the latest wide receiver rankings made it impossible to ignore him again.
Pro Football Focus placed Adams at No. 24 among NFL wide receivers, which is a respectable enough spot. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, though, surveyed executives, coaches and scouts around the league and came back with a much stronger read: Adams was viewed as the No. 10 receiver in football.
That was a jump from honorable mention last year, and one NFL personnel evaluator even had him as high as No. 6.
The league still seems to see the same player Raiders fans once hoped would change everything. As Fowler wrote, "The only top-10 receiver in his 30s, Adams secured the last spot on the list despite producing his lowest receiving yardage total (789) since 2015.
But look what he did for Matthew Stafford. The two had an easy connection on go balls and back-shoulder throws.
Stafford threw 14 touchdowns to Adams on his way to the MVP award."
That’s the part that stings for Las Vegas. Adams may no longer be in silver and black, but he’s still being discussed as one of the best at his position. And the Raiders, after parting with him and Jakobi Meyers in back-to-back seasons, still don’t have an established high-end answer in place.
One NFC executive summed up what still makes Adams dangerous, saying, "His instincts and route running are still there even as his athletic traits have declined," an NFC exec said. "He just knows how to get open."
From the Raiders’ perspective, this only becomes a bigger headache if their young receivers don’t develop and Adams keeps producing elsewhere. The same goes for Meyers, who is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars and could add another layer to the frustration if he delivers again.
Las Vegas made the right call at the time on both players, at least from a roster and relationship standpoint. Neither wanted to stay. But every strong season from Adams, and every reminder of what Meyers can still do, makes the absence feel a little louder for Raider Nation.
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