As the Las Vegas Raiders prepare for the second preseason game on Saturday, the team is expected to play its starters. But one starter, wide receiver Davante Adams, isn't a fan of that idea.
Adams, who was recently away from the team for nearly two weeks for the birth of his child, stated on Tuesday that if it were up to him, he wouldn't play in the preseason at all, according to Levi Damien of Raiders Wire.
“A few reps could help, but just based off of the risk, it’s not on mind as something that I’m looking forward to,” Adams said. “I look forward to the games to watch the guys go at it and watch the team get better and all the things that go on with that. But I’m definitely not…if I’m choosing, I’m not playing.”
It remains to be seen if head coach Antonio Pierce will adhere to those wishes, but before practice on Wednesday, he made it clear that if the starters are healthy, they're going to play.
Yesterday, Davante Adams said he would prefer not to play in preseason games. Today, Antonio Pierce said if players are healthy, they’ll play.
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) August 15, 2024
When considering whether or not starters should get reps in preseason games, not all situations are the same. In the case of the Raiders, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get Adams a series or two.
After all, the Raiders are installing a new offense and Adams has never played in a game with Gardner Minshew, one of the possible starters. He does, however, have experience with Aidan O'Connell, who he played with last year.
The other argument is that Adams is a seasoned veteran and one of the best players at his position in the NFL. If there's anyone who will be just fine without preseason reps, it's him, thus the Raiders shouldn't put him at risk.
We'll see what direction Pierce ultimately goes with his star receiver, but as of right now, it looks like Adams is playing.
