A week ago, it looked to be a lock that the Las Vegas Raiders were going to trade star wide receiver Davante Adams after he requested a trade from the team. However, there is now at least some doubt about that.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the notion that Adams could play for the Raiders again — an idea head coach Antonio Pierce first put out there — and remain with the team after all this is possible.
Schefter first cites the fact that Las Vegas is not going to move off its asking price, which is a second-round pick plus additional compensation. The Raiders also are not interested in picking up any of Adams' salary. If their demands aren't met, the Raiders may not deal Adams, per Schefter.
Davante Adams trade rumors
"The Raiders also have been adamant they won't simply trade Adams for the sake of trading him; they are content to hold onto the three-time All-Pro if their conditions are not satisfied," Schefter wrote.
Then, Schefter adds that Adams is a big fan of Aidan O'Connell, who the team named its starter for Week 6 after the Gardner Minshew experiment failed.
"Another factor as to why Adams might not necessarily be moved — and sources insisted it should not be discounted or overlooked — is that he is a big supporter of Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who was named the new starter this week," Schefter explained.
"But Adams is a big believer in O'Connell and privately has called him one of the best quarterbacks with whom he has played, according to sources," Schefter added. "Playing with O'Connell is said to be appealing to Adams, who will sit out his third straight game Sunday because of a hamstring injury."
Schefter did add, however, that the Raiders are still talking to teams about Adams, including the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints have also checked in on him.
Are Raiders bluffing with Davante Adams?
On the flip side of all that, CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones is reporting that teams around the league aren't buying this sudden change of heart from Adams and believe it's Las Vegas last attempt to regain some semblance of leverage.
"Feels a bit like Vegas is trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube to salvage Davante's market," a source said told Jones. "I think everyone knows their only play is to deal him."
Jones adds that Adams' trade request going public hurt the Raiders in regard to a possible return with teams knowing Las Vegas has no choice but to trade him.
And therein lies what is almost certainly behind this recent idea that Adams may not get traded. It's probably a smokescreen and a last-ditch effort from the Raiders to get teams to cave to their demands, plain and simple.
There is no putting the toothpaste back in the tube in this situation and the Raiders are better served dealing Adams, who isn't going to magically be happy moving forward just because O'Connell is under center.
Not to mention, if the Raiders play Adams and he gets hurt, that will only hurt his value further, and quite possibly destroy it altogether if he gets seriously injured.
