Davante Adams would welcome catching passes from Aaron Rodgers once more, however he insists he’s pleased with the Raiders and isn’t pushing for a commerce to the Jets.
Adams addressed the commerce rumors on the latest episode of Shannon Sharpe’s “Membership Shay Shay” podcast launched Wednesday, a day after the huge receiver’s brokers issued an announcement denying that any commerce talks had been going down.
“Properly, I’ll reply it like this: If I’m gonna be reunited with anyone, it will be Aaron — or relocated and be anyplace, it’d be with Aaron,” Adams mentioned. “However that’s probably not my — there was plenty of that stuff happening final yr within the media and them asking, ‘What are you gonna do about this? Are you eager about going right here?’ They usually speak about no matter with out me even being concerned in it.
“And it ended up getting all the best way to the purpose the place it acquired within the locker room, and folks was considering that I used to be the driving power, and I’m like, y’all simply don’t perceive, man. While you — and I hate to say it like this as a result of it makes me sound like I’m attempting to place myself on a pedestal — however whenever you’re a sure stage of participant, it don’t have to come back from you, and oftentimes it’s not coming from you.”
What the 31-year-old six-time Professional Bowler does need out there may be that he’s dedicated to the Raiders, who’re coming off an 8-9 season however went 5-4 below Antonio Pierce earlier than he was promoted from interim to full-time head coach.
“I’m actively on the Raiders. What do I appear like sitting right here speaking to different individuals about being on one other group? And that’s how I nonetheless really feel about it proper now,” mentioned Adams, who’s getting into the third season of a five-year, $140 million contract. “I’m locked in with the Raiders and I actually be ok with this group, and so far as I do know they be ok with me. If that ever modifications, if that acquired to some extent the place they weren’t feeling the identical approach, I ain’t carried out enjoying, so clearly we’d determine no matter we wanted to determine.”
Nonetheless, it’s laborious for Adams to not wax poetic about what it was like — and what it will be like once more — to pair with Rodgers, who’s attempting to guide the Jets to a Tremendous Bowl after struggling an Achilles tear simply 4 performs into his first yr with the group final season.
“The considered enjoying with Aaron is clearly wonderful,” Adams mentioned. “I already know what that’s like — which has similarities to why I got here right here and reunited with Derek [Carr] was ’trigger I had familiarity with him. And anytime you could have that, it provides you a little bit bit extra confidence than beginning recent with anyone you’ve by no means performed with earlier than, and it helps after they’re the most effective to ever play the sport — or not less than that’s how I really feel. I don’t understand how you’re feeling about that, however that’s actually how I really feel, and [Rodgers has] given me a chance to point out the world what I can do.”
Throughout eight seasons with the Packers and Rodgers, Adams had 669 catches, 8,121 yards and 73 touchdowns, which included 5 double-digit landing campaigns and three years of not less than 1,374 yards.
In his first yr with the Raiders in 2022, with Carr the quarterback a lot of the yr, Adams had 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Adams doesn’t really feel he wants Rodgers to be an excellent participant.
“I’m not afraid to say that he positively made me higher, however he positively didn’t create me — you see it was the identical numbers the very subsequent yr in Vegas,” he mentioned. “So, clearly I didn’t ‘want him’ but it surely makes life a hell of rather a lot simpler, that’s for positive.”
Final season with Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Aidan O’Connell, Adams had 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns.
Adams’ frustration with how the Raiders’ season was going earlier than Josh McDaniels’ midseason firing was proven in Netflix’s new “Receiver” collection, through which Adams mentioned he “signed off on” the group benching Garoppolo.
That’s a part of the rationale ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky mentioned Tuesday on “Get Up” that he thinks Adams enjoying for the Jets this season is a “carried out deal,” a day after WFAN’s Boomer Esiason mentioned he was “listening to” a possible Adams commerce might be carried out in late August or early September.
Rodgers helped fan the flames over the weekend on the American Century Championship golf match when requested about Adams, saying he “can’t wait to play with him — once more.”
The Jets signed receiver Mike Williams to a one-year, $10 million contract in free company to be their No. 2 behind Garrett Wilson.
