Saints need to go all-in for Raiders WR Davante Adams

Adams and Rodgers played together with the Packers from 2014-21. Adams made five consecutive Pro Bowls was named first-team All-Pro in his final two seasons with Rodgers as his quarterback.

He was also college teammates with Carr at Fresno State from 2012-13 and for 15 games during the 2022 season in Las Vegas.

In Carr’s 15 starts before being benched at the end of that season, Adams had 88 receptions, 1,290 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Schefter shared that his relationship with Carr is only part of the lure of the Saints for Adams, adding that Saints wide receivers coach Keith Williams “also has worked with Davante Adams as his personal wide receivers coach.”

Williams, the former Fresno State wide receivers coach, recruited Adams out of high school. In a 2022 Raiders.com article, Adams credited Williams with seeing his potential after Adams’ poor grades scared multiple programs from offering him a scholarship. 

“I think [Williams] was able to realize, ‘This dude is actually legit smart, he’s just not applying himself in the classroom,’ Adams said. “That’s the difference. It’s time to see if I can really reach and get all of that out of him, and [Williams] does that better than anyone I think I’ve met.”

The Saints would need to do salary cap-gymnastics to have enough room to make an Adams trade palatable, but fortunately for New Orleans, general manager Mickey Loomis is arguably the NFL’s best cap contortionist.

Per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell’s estimation, the Saints could lower Adams’ 2024 cap number to $4.4 million by converting his remaining base salary into a signing bonus with void years added.

However, as Terrell notes, that still wouldn’t be enough for New Orleans, which has $2.778 million in cap space (h/t Over The Cap), to make a trade work.

Terrell offered one easy solution to the cap concerns: amending running back Alvin Kamara’s contract.

The five-time Pro Bowler is having his best season since 2020 and seeking a contract extension. New Orleans could make both sides happy by giving Kamara the extension he deserves while lowering his 2024 salary, giving the team space to acquire Adams.

Schefter reported on Tuesday the Raiders are seeking a second-round pick in exchange for Adams, but CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones revealed on Wednesday that Las Vegas might settle for a third-rounder.

If not for two late, blown leads against the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans would be 4-0. The Saints have gotten off to a better-than-expected start and they could be a legitimate Super Bowl contender with the addition of Adams.

He would join a Saints offense leading the league in scoring (31.8 points per game). The trio of Adams, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed would give New Orleans arguably the league’s best wide receiver unit.  

Adams and Olave are physical wide receivers, with Pro Football Focus crediting each with five contested catches, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL.

Shaheed is one of the league’s top deep threats and he would be even more dangerous in three wide-receiver sets as defenses are forced to account for Adams and Olave.

It isn’t often that an All-Pro becomes available via trade and it’s even more rare for one to have the Saints near the top of his wishlist.

These opportunities don’t come often. New Orleans can’t let this one slip away.