Two Reasons Why Patriots Should Puruse Davante Adams Trade
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The Patriots desperately need help at wide receiver and could look to the trade market for assistance.
NFL trades are rare in general, especially in-season trades. But New England could present the right offer to a team seeking to offload assets.
One contender in that category could be the Las Vegas Raiders. Head coach Antonio Pierce told reporters this week that the team might be looking into making "business decisions" in the future. That came before ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Davante Adams' hamstring injury is considered week-to-week.
Adams has two years left on his contract with his salary expected to increase to $35.64 million next year. Las Vegas likely chooses to move Adams so it can focus on the future and develop potential stars like Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer and Tre Tucker.
Schefter's Sunday report added that the Raiders rejected two teams last summer when they inquired about an Adams trade. New England might have been one of those teams since they pursued Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk in the offseason. If Adams does become available, it would behoove executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf to make a move for these two reasons.
Upgrade at wide receiverLet's get to the obvious point. The Patriots need more juice at pass-catcher. Adams' hamstring injury is dicey, but it probably wouldn't surprise anyone if it started to improve once the 31-year-old gets a change in scenery. Whether it's Jacoby Brissett or Drake Maye under center, they need a wide receiver who can create separation consistently and be a true game-changer.
NFL trades can be weird, so it's possible New England can get away with not trading a first-round pick. That was the case with the reported deal the Patriots offered the San Francisco 49ers for Aiyuk. Tee Higgins fits Maye's timeline better than Adams, but it also would be beneficial for New England to have a veteran wide receiver to help a young quarterback and help alleviate pressure for the up-and-coming wide receivers like Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.
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Blocking out rivalObviously, there will be stronger contenders that will be after Adams. The Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals and 49ers have the cap space and need at the position to be motivated to make a blockbuster move. Another team that will be motivated to trade for Adams is the New York Jets. Aaron Rodgers and Adams hinted they wanted to play with each other again, and the Jets were the first team to come up when trade speculation began.
It would be a beautiful dig at a division rival if the Patriots, who also have plenty of cap space, acquired Adams to block out New York and Rodgers. The wide receiver would reunite with Wolf and Alex Van Pelt, and a hefty contract could be enough to entice him to stay in New England similar to how he chose to play for Las Vegas instead of staying with the Green Bay Packers.
It probably is a pipe dream, and New England has multiple other problems on the roster. But the AFC is a top-heavy conference, so the Patriots might only need a few boosts at key positions to help keep them competitive for an AFC wild-card spot. One spot to look at is acquiring Adams to upgrade at wide receiver.
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