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Would Packers, Raiders undo Davante Adams trade if they could?

Would Packers, Raiders undo Davante Adams trade if they could?

Neither the Packers nor the Raiders have seen the returns they expected from the offseason trade of Davante Adams.

Jason B. Hirschhorn's avatar
Jason B. Hirschhorn
Nov 11, 2022
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Would Packers, Raiders undo Davante Adams trade if they could?
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The decision to part with Davante Adams made an indelible impression on the Green Bay Packers' 2022 season. As it turned out, that move left quite the mark on the Las Vegas Raiders as well.

Back in March, The Leap laid out the scenario in which the Adams trade might irreparably damage both teams given Green Bay's short-term ambitions and a timeline for Las Vegas that might not overlap with that of the All-Pro wide receiver.

The Leap
Davante Adams trade a gamble both Packers and Raiders could lose
In the end, the Green Bay Packers sent shockwaves through the NFL by trading away a franchise cornerstone. They just didn't move the one many expected. Thursday night, the Packers agreed to send All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. In return, Green Bay will receive the 22nd and 53rd overall picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Las Vegas …
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3 years ago · 2 likes · 2 comments · Jason B. Hirschhorn

In short, the Packers couldn't bank on multiple additional seasons with Aaron Rodgers at the helm despite signing the reigning two-time MVP to a record-setting extension this offseason. While the team's inability to locate a high-end veteran replacement wouldn't become evident until much later, no other wideout could have fully replicated Adams' ability to manipulate opposing defenses nor his on-field chemistry with Rodgers.

Meanwhile, the Raiders didn't appear one player away from making a title run in the highly competitive AFC West. The team already boasted a top-flight receiving talent in tight end Darren Waller but lacked consistency along the offensive line and, as a direct result, in the running game. At the same time, the defense needed a complete overhaul, a fact driven home by the unit's league-worst ranking in Football Outsiders' DVOA entering Week 10.

At this stage, the deal hasn't played out well for either team. While Adams' individual production falls more or less in line with his recent All-Pro campaigns -- the veteran wideout has put himself on pace for roughly 102 catches for 1,398 yards and 15 touchdowns -- the Raiders offense hasn't meaningfully improved from a year ago. In 2021, the unit finished 19th in DVOA. This year, it ranks 18th.

"At the end of the day, if we're just going to concede and say, 'Oh, they double-teamed Tae, so it's forcing the ball to him if we threw it to him,' then I've got no business being in this building, because that's what teams are going to do," Adams said Wednesday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Adam Hill. "So, if you think that the only way I'm going to get the ball is when I'm singled up, then I'm going to have four catches on the year."

But while remaining essentially static offensively despite Adams' services has given the Raiders reason for pause, the Packers have fared far worse in the wideout's absence. Green Bay, which featured top-2 offenses by DVOA each of the last two seasons, barely ranks inside the top half of the league entering Week 10. The receiving corps has dealt with injuries and inconsistencies, the predictable result of relying so heavily on rookies and role players.

With both clubs in shambles established, would the Packers and Raiders undo the Adams trade if they could?

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