The optimism following the Las Vegas Raiders’ Week 4 victory over the Cleveland Browns has quickly faded. Star wide receiver Davante Adams has requested a trade, and it seems the team is open to honoring that request.

Numerous teams across the NFL are likely to express interest in Adams, but according to an October 1 X post from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders are seeking a second-round pick and additional compensation. This asking price is likely only appealing to playoff contenders.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report proposed a trade sending Adams to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for quarterback Trey Lance and a conditional second-round pick.

“In this hypothetical situation, the criteria for converting a conditional second-round pick into a first may be quite steep,” Knox noted in an October 1 column. “Dallas has demonstrated its playoff capabilities.

Winning multiple postseason games is the next objective—making a trip to the NFC title game a logical condition for the first-round switch.

“To enhance the offer, Dallas could include third-string quarterback Trey Lance.”

For the Raiders, the Cowboys are a logical trading partner since they would be sending Adams out of the AFC. However, Lance doesn’t add much value as he has yet to prove he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Should the Raiders Trade Davante Adams?

At this juncture, the Raiders have little reason to retain Adams. Even if they secure a wild card playoff spot, they’re not in contention for a Super Bowl with Gardner Minshew as their quarterback. Adams’ salary cap hit will soar to $44.1 million next season, so the Raiders are likely to part ways with him after this year.

If they wait until the offseason to trade him, his value could decline. In fact, the longer they hesitate, the less they may receive in return. The Raiders should be highly incentivized to finalize a deal soon; they don’t need Adams becoming a distraction.

Although he’s an exceptional player who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in consecutive seasons, a young rebuilding team has no real use for a wide receiver who will turn 32 in December.

A Missed Opportunity

When the Raiders acquired Adams during the 2022 offseason, they were fresh off a playoff appearance and had just brought in Josh McDaniels as head coach. Quarterback Derek Carr had just completed a solid season, and the expectation was that reuniting him with Adams would lead to success.

That did not materialize. The Raiders managed only six wins in Adams’ inaugural season, prompting the team to release Carr. They then signed Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback, which has been a disastrous move.

Las Vegas could only manage eight wins last season. This year has also been underwhelming, with the team sitting at 2-2 after a recent blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Adams didn’t play against the Browns in Week 4, and the Raiders won, indicating they can succeed without him. This trade has been a failed endeavor from the start, and it’s in the Raiders’ best interest to cut their losses now.

Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers since 2019.

A Los Angeles native now residing in Las Vegas, his work includes interviews with NFL stars like Darren Waller and Joe Montana, as well as behind-the-scenes insights into “The Shop.”