Should the Saints trade for Raiders receiver Davante Adams? | Saints

In Saints Fans Ask, one of our NOLA.com experts answers your questions about the New Orleans Saints.

Question: Is it realistic for the Saints to trade for Davante Adams, and more importantly, should they?

We know that Adams is interested in joining the Saints after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday that the wide receiver wants to be reunited with a quarterback he previously played with – thus reuniting New Orleans and New York Jets are at the top of Adam’s wish list.

The Saints are an attractive destination for several reasons. The chemistry between Adams and quarterback Derek Carr has been well established since their time in college. New Orleans wide receivers coach Keith Williams served as Adams’ personal receivers coach for years before Williams left for the NFL in 2021. And the general manager who replaced Adams in Las Vegas – Dave Ziegler – is now a consultant for the Saints.

The Raiders are reportedly pursuing at least a second-round pick for Adams, and from that perspective, the Saints have what it takes. New Orleans has six picks in 2025 and is only missing a sixth-rounder, which the team sent to Washington in September for defensive tackle John Ridgeway III.

However, getting Adams under the Saints’ salary cap is much more difficult.

The Saints obviously have a long history of cap gymnastics, but they would have to get particularly creative to utilize the remaining three years of Adams’ contract. If he’s traded this week, he’ll be owed $13.5 million for the remainder of the season, and then he’ll have two non-guaranteed years left at $36.25 million each.

According to the NFLPA’s salary cap database, the Saints only have $3.2 million in cap space available. New Orleans could reduce Adams’ cap hit in 2024 by converting his base salary to the minimum and adding invalid years to the deal, but that move alone probably wouldn’t be enough to fit the Saints’ cap list – and he would also eat away at the cap in the coming years. New Orleans could create additional space by renewing the contract of someone like Alvin Kamara, although that would also complicate the team’s future roster.

In order for a deal to work, the Raiders could theoretically offer to cover some of Adams’ salary loss if the compensation is right. As ESPN’s Seth Walder noted, the Raiders have $28 million in cap space in 2024 and a projected $80 million in 2025.

But against the Saints, this scenario is about a lot of other teams in the NFL having cap room.

The Jets, for example, have $15.4 million in cap space, meaning they could easily accept Adams’ contract. Adams had his best years with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as the receiver reached five of his six Pro Bowls with Green Bay. The Jets have eight picks in the 2025 draft – including two third-rounders.

Teams other than the Jets and Saints are expected to be interested in Adams, ESPN reported.

If the Saints are indeed interested, there is little doubt that Adams could make them a better football team. Adams had at least 1,000 receiving yards in five of the last six seasons before 2024, and playing with Carr in 2022, Adams had 88 receptions and 1,290 yards in 15 games with Carr throwing the ball to him. (Jarrett Stidham replaced Carr the last two weeks after the Raiders benched the veteran.)

Trading Adams would require some identity change from the Saints. Through four games, the Saints have thrown the ball 43.2% of the time, a league-low. It would be hard to imagine the Saints running as often as they did with a receiving corps of Adams, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. And if the Saints still insist on running the ball at high volume, would Adams be happy?

But the tradeoff of the Saints becoming a more pass-happy team could be worth it. Adams’ ability to excel in the slot – 608 of his 1,553 yards came from there in 2021 – makes him an interesting option to pair with Olave and Shaheed on the outside. Adams also played in a similar offense under coach Matt LaFleur in Green Bay.

The answer to whether New Orleans should trade for Adams depends on how the Saints view themselves internally. If the Saints feel Adams’ addition could make them a legitimate NFC contender, then it’s worth moving on.

But at the same time, New Orleans’ front office took steps last offseason to get the salary cap to a healthier level. Doing cap gymnastics to accommodate Adams, even in the short term, would likely negate that progress.

It is understandable if the saints are tempted to do this.