It's no secret the Detroit Lions have several concerns in their wide receiver corps. heading into the 2024 campaign, a season in which the team has a legitimate shot to win a Super Bowl. Not only do the Lions have questionable depth, but their starters are a concern, also.
Detroit's No. 2, Jameson Williams, remains unproven after two years in the NFL, and Kalif Raymond is currently slated to be the primary outside wide receiver, but he isn't your prototypical X, and head coach Dan Campbell prefers not to play him too many snaps there so he can be freed up to do other things.
Knowing that, The 33rd Team's Ian Valentino made an interesting trade proposal for the Lions that has them acquiring superstar wide receiver Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for Williams and a second-round pick in 2025.
Here's Valentino's thoughts on the proposal:
Adams is still incredibly good despite his age. He has four straight 1,100-yard and eight-plus touchdown seasons despite playing in Las Vegas for the last two years. We need to save Adams from playing in Vegas for another year, and Detroit's explosive offense is the best way to maximize the rest of his career.
Detroit's cap situation is healthy enough to absorb Adams' $16 million base salary right now, and then minor trimming in the future makes this a palatable deal. He has $0 in guarantees beyond this season, so a restructuring could also make his contract more favorable.
In return, the Raiders clear off $17.5 million in 2024, then more than $36 million in 2025 and 2026. Taking a flier on Jameson Williams is what gets this deal across the finish line.
This trade doesn't solve the Lions' depth issues behind their starters, but it is the kind of win-now move Detroit should be interested in making. Granted, losing a second-round pick is never ideal, but nobody will care if Adams, who provides a much more sure option than Williams, helps Detroit win a Super Bowl.
It's true Adams had a down season in 2023, but that was hardly his fault and was not a result of decline. The 31-year-old had a terrible situation at quarterback, as he caught passes from Jimmy Garoppolo and a rookie in Aidan O'Connell. Even still, Adams reeled in 103 receptions for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns.
Adams still has two more years left on his deal after this one, so he wouldn't just be a rental. However, with no guaranteed money left on those two years, the Lions would likely have to rework his deal to keep him happy.
While the Raiders remain highly unlikely to trade Adams before the start of the season, this is an offer that they'd no doubt have to stop and think about.
A second-round pick, a young receiver like Williams and more cap flexibility is a great combination for a Las Vegas team that has a new general manager in Tom Telesco, who has to have his eye on the future that isn't likely to include Adams.
