Raiders star receiver Davante Adams is all-in on the Raiders rookie quarterback, Aidan O’Connell, an ESPN report suggests.
“With the Raiders struggling, Davante Adams is a popular name for fans to throw around as a potential dream trade candidate,” Jeremy Fowler wrote. “From what I’ve always heard, however, Adams has been set on playing in Vegas long-term. That has been the plan from when he got traded there in 2022.
“So unless something has changed, I don’t get any sense that he wants out. And as a nod to the future, I’m also told he’s a big believer in Aidan O’Connell, the fourth-round rookie who stepped in for the injured Garoppolo (concussion) against the Chargers. Obviously, Garoppolo is entrenched as the starter, but O’Connell gives Las Vegas a real option to develop.”
Adams, who has been the subject of trade speculation since the Raiders benched Derek Carr at the end of the 2022 season, hasn’t said much publicly about his relationship with Garoppolo.
But no news might not be good news in this situation.
Adams has not exactly been a happy camper with the Raiders — showcased by his non-committal responses after Carr, his former college teammate at Fresno State, was sat at the end of the 2022 season.
When Carr was benched, Adams was asked whether it changed anything about his feelings toward being a member of the Raiders.
“We’ve got two games left,” Adams said. “We’ve got the Niners this week, and we’ve got another game to go and finish so that’s all I’m really focused on.”
Adams also infamously shoved a production assistant after a loss on “Monday Night Football” leading to the 20-year-old having concussion-like symptoms.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano offered a different stance on the Adams-Raiders relationship prior to the 2023 season starting.
“I’m not saying they’ll trade him,” Graziano wrote referring to Adams. “I don’t know if they’d even consider it. But the Raiders are likely going to be terrible this season, and Adams went there to play with a quarterback who got benched before Adams’ first season with the team ended and is now in New Orleans.”
He also went on to mention that Adams could begin to make noise about wanting out if things got bad enough.
Last week, Adams said, “I don’t got time to wait around,” after a frustrating loss to the Chargers.
It’s sentiment that was agreed with by veteran running back Josh Jacobs who is set to be a free agent after this season.
“I’m tired of losing,” Jacobs said. “Just keep it 100… I’m tired of f–king losing.”
The Raiders have lost three straight since winning their season opener against the Broncos and play host to the Packers in a primetime spot on Monday night.
If the Raiders’ veteran playmakers want to let teams know they are available, “Monday Night Football,” could be a chaotic state of affairs.
Garoppolo missed most of Week 4 with a concussion and still has not been cleared to play in Week 5.