A reunion between Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers? Why the Jets are a favorite to trade for the receiver

Aaron Rodgers was walking on a golf course in Lake Tahoe this summer when he told a reporter, “I love Davante Adams, I can’t wait to play with him again.”

Rodgers later claimed he talked to Adams about golf, not football… if you believe him.

“I definitely love Davante,” Rodgers said with a grin in July. “I think I was talking about golf.”

Aaron Rodgers was asked about his comments about Davante Adams in Lake Tahoe:

“I definitely love Davante. This guy was a bit irritating I would say” 😂 pic.twitter.com/XwbbV3CbJM

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) July 31, 2024

Maybe Rodgers was simply predicting the future – a future that many around the Jets thought was inevitable. Earlier this summer, Adams said, “If I’m going to be reunited with anyone, it’s going to be Aaron.” On Tuesday morning, during an appearance on the show “Up and Adams,” when host Kay Adams hinted that the star wide receiver is his longtime former Packers quarterback, Davante replied with a smile: “How could you not?”

Later that day, Adams reportedly requested a trade from the Raiders. The Jets are expected to be included in these discussions as general manager Joe Douglas has been monitoring this situation since last season. When the Jets acquired Rodgers last year, Adams was among the players he expressed to the organization that they should consider moving on, in addition to a few others (Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb) they eventually signed.

It’s a matchup that makes a lot of sense, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the Jets end up trying to sign the six-time Pro Bowler. Adams is one of the most accomplished wide receivers in the NFL, and much of his success came when Rodgers was throwing him the ball from 2014 to 2021, until Green Bay traded Adams to the Raiders.

According to ESPN, the Raiders told teams that they would “consider” moving Adams if that return included a second-round pick and additional compensation. At this price (or less), it’s definitely worth it for the Jets to move on.

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The Jets own their own second-round and third-round picks in 2025, as well as an additional third-round pick (acquired from Detroit when the Lions moved up to the fourth round last spring). The Jets also likely wouldn’t be opposed to including Pro Bowl defensive player Haason Reddick in a deal, especially considering Reddick is still in the midst of a months-long denial period that began in OTAs and minicamps. In terms of salary, moving Adams this week would cost the Jets about $13.5 million for the rest of the year. Every week the number drops by $968,000 — and as a bonus, Adams has no guaranteed salary in 2025. The Jets currently have $16.8 million in cap space, although this number is inflated because Reddick is currently on the reserve list or has not been reported. Therefore, his salary does not currently count against the cap.

Rodgers has repeatedly expressed his feelings for Adams since joining the Jets — and during the quarterback’s final season in Green Bay in 2022, it became clear that Rodgers missed Adams. Rodgers had his worst statistical season since the start of his career this season and struggled to build chemistry with the Packers’ young wide receivers. When the Jets traveled to Las Vegas for a game against the Raiders in Week 10 last year (Rodgers was out recovering from a torn Achilles tendon), the two former teammates hung out the night before the game. They have a friendship and Rodgers has often referenced his chemistry and relationship with Adams in press conferences since joining the Jets – particularly in discussions about Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

But should the Jets make a move for the 31-year-old wideout? That depends on a few factors. At the end of the day, there’s one important thing: The Jets have a 40-year-old quarterback and are firmly in a short win-now window – and are coming off a tough 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos.

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Wilson has had problems so far and the chemistry between him and Rodgers wasn’t quite there. The third-year receiver had 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons despite a revolving door at quarterback, and the theory was that Wilson would hit the ground running with some stability in the mold of Rodgers. Instead, Wilson has struggled as teams have outshined him with their star corners in each of the last three weeks. He has just 191 receiving yards in four games and hasn’t had more than 60 yards or six receptions in any week. In response to a question from former Jets linebacker Bart Scott on ESPN Radio New York’s “Bart and Hahn” on Tuesday, Wilson responded with comments that some on social media interpreted as critical of the Jets’ offense (posted on X, Wilson ). rejected this characterization).

Lazard, a friend and former teammate of Adams, was the Jets’ most productive receiver through three games, collecting 16 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns. The Jets signed Mike Williams this offseason to bolster the supporting cast around Wilson — especially since Lazard struggled in 2023 after signing a $44 million free-agent contract. After missing all of training camp, Williams began taking on a full workload.

But none of those receivers, Wilson included, have the pedigree of Adams, who had 103 catches for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns for the Raiders in 2023, which was considered a “bad” year by his standards. This season included a quarterback bench change and an in-season firing of a head coach. In New York, life would be easier for both Wilson and Adams, as it would be difficult for teams to double either of them. Adams is currently dealing with a hamstring injury, but had nine catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in a Week 2 upset at Baltimore.

The Jets largely avoided handing out big contracts this offseason, and their cash spending was down significantly compared to previous years. Therefore, it is unclear how willing owner Woody Johnson will be to pay another player $13.5 million. However, it cannot be ruled out that the goal is to win a Super Bowl with Rodgers at the end of his career. It should be noted that wide receiver isn’t the Jets’ biggest need right now – that would be edge rusher – but adding an All-Pro wide receiver certainly couldn’t hurt.

There’s also the question of whether the Jets are the only team that will be interested in acquiring him. The New Orleans Saints have Derek Carr at quarterback – Carr, who played with Adams at Fresno State, was one of the main reasons Adams ended up with the Raiders in the first place. The Pittsburgh Steelers have attempted to trade Brandon Aiyuk this offseason and could be in the mix. Other teams could also emerge.

But rest assured, the Jets are among the favorites to sign him. Just as they should be.

(Top photo: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)