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Wide receiver Davante Adams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers are back together, this time with the New York Jets. Sitting next to each other in a team meeting Wednesday, Rodgers turned to Adams and said, “How crazy is this?”
Adams, who requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, expressed that the Jets were his top choice. “It’s been a roller coaster, for sure,” said Adams, who will make his Jets debut Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. “It’s a weird thing to say that I’m happy, but, obviously, it was time for a change.
“This whole thing kind of transpired a little weird, but at the end of the day, we’re in a better place. I think that the Raiders are in a better place as well, and everybody can kind of move on.”
Adams was traded to the Jets on Tuesday for a conditional 2025 third-round pick. He arrived at the team’s facility the same morning and is staying at Rodgers’ house while he settles in. The two have already watched old game film and started working on getting Adams familiar with the Jets’ playbook.
“Obviously, having him as my quarterback again, he’s part of why I am who I am, and why I turned into the player I am,” Adams said of Rodgers, his quarterback from 2014 to 2021.
Jets Look to Revive Offense with Adams
The Jets (2-4) have struggled lately, losing three straight games. They traded for Adams to add a playmaker to their offense and help take pressure off of Garrett Wilson. Adams’ arrival could also mean a reduced role for wide receiver Mike Williams, whose future with the team is uncertain. Williams missed practice on Wednesday due to personal reasons but returned Thursday.
Adams, 31, said he’s not just looking to be a short-term addition and hopes to stay with the Jets beyond 2024. “I mean, I hope so. That’s the plan,” Adams said. “I mean, I want to be here. I never go somewhere in hopes of having to find a new home, so that’s the hope.”
Though Adams is under contract through 2026, his salary for 2025 and 2026 — $35.6 million each year — is high and not guaranteed, meaning he may need to renegotiate to stay with the Jets beyond this season.
Rodgers Confident in Renewing Chemistry with Adams
For now, the focus is on getting Adams up to speed for the Jets’ upcoming game against the Steelers. Rodgers is confident they can quickly regain their old connection. “I expect to be on the same page,” Rodgers said. “I’m hoping that we click. He’s been out for a few weeks with a [hamstring] injury and we haven’t played together since 2021, but we have a lot of memories to call upon. He has an incredible recall.”
Rodgers has had trouble connecting with Williams, who has just 10 receptions for 145 yards this season, which might explain why Rodgers criticized Williams after the Jets’ recent loss to the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers has developed better chemistry with Wilson in recent games, and the Jets also have former Packers receiver Allen Lazard, who leads the team with five touchdown catches.
With Adams in the mix, the Jets now have a lot of receiving talent. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said it gives the offense more flexibility. “It’s a really cool problem to have,” Ulbrich said. “It’s going to give us an opportunity to have more flexibility where we move these guys around. Sometimes it’ll be based upon the route concepts, sometimes the matchups, but it gives us a lot of freedom to play around with where these guys line [up].”
Added Rodgers: “It’s about winning. Those guys are going to get theirs. The important thing is winning.”
Adams Aims to Make Immediate Impact
Rodgers said players such as Wilson and running back Breece Hall “should be happy” with Adams’ presence because he believes the six-time Pro Bowl receiver will create opportunities for those around him.
Adams, meanwhile, is focused on making an impact whenever he’s on the field, something he didn’t always feel in Las Vegas.
“[People] see a trade demand and they just think, ‘He wants out, he’s quitting on the team,’ when it’s more about just being able to feel like I can — I don’t want that helpless feeling,” Adams said. “… Not every game’s going to be a 100-yard game or 150-, 200-yard game, but I want to feel like I can impact the game every time I touch the field.”
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This report used information from ESPN.
