The Ravens always seem to be linked to big-name wide receivers whenever one becomes available via trade or free agency, with Las Vegas Raiders star Davante Adams being the latest.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Adams hopes to be traded to the New York Jets, where he would be reunited with former teammate Aaron Rodgers. However, Rapoport said Adams hasn’t discounted playing for other teams, and the Ravens might be among them.
“In fact, according to sources informed of Adams’ thinking, he is open to playing for several other teams,” Rapoport wrote. “The New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and perhaps the San Francisco 49ers are among teams that either have inquired about the six-time Pro Bowler or are places Adams would be happy landing.”
While the thought of Adams joining quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry is enticing, it’s probably a longshot.
Look, this is probably an unlikely partnership,” The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec wrote. “The Ravens needed to do several contract restructures a few weeks ago to even get cap compliant, and GM Eric DeCosta has been forthcoming about how difficult it would be to add another significant contract anytime soon.”
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker expressed a similar opinion.
“The biggest hurdle that would prevent the Ravens from landing Adams is financial,” Wacker wrote. “Baltimore is already tight on salary cap space, with just $4.3 million in room, per Over The Cap. Adams, meanwhile, would immediately count $13.5 million against the cap, a number that will decline with each passing week down to $8.6 million at the [Nov. 5] trade deadline.
That means the Raiders would likely have to eat some of his remaining salary and the Ravens would need to extend his deal, which currently includes $36 million and $37 million due in 2025 and 2026, respectively. That’s a lot for a player who will turn 32 in December.”
While Adams is still one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, Zrebiec believes he might not be a good fit for the Ravens’ offense.
Baltimore also is a run-first team that’s barely getting the ball to the top pass catchers currently on its roster. (Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews have four combined catches over the past two weeks.),” Zrebiec wrote. “So it’s fair to be skeptical that they’d get enough bang for their buck by adding another target, even one as good as Adams.”
Wacker wrote: “Simply put, Adams is a player who demands the ball. … The Ravens already have enough hands to feed between Flowers, Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Rashod Bateman, so adding Adams to the mix would only make that more difficult. And now that they’ve started to lean into their running game with Jackson only throwing the ball 18 and 15 times the past two weeks, adding a receiver who publicly calls for targets would be problematic.”
Back in January, Adams told Sirius XM’s Amber Theoharis that he would take less statistical production to play with Jackson.
All that said, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Ravens at least considered the possibility of trading for Adams.
DeCosta loves to throw his hat in the ring when an accomplished player is available,” Zrebiec wrote. “The Ravens would need a lot of help from the Raiders (and potentially Adams) to make the contract numbers work, but it doesn’t hurt to make a call. And the Ravens are sitting on several compensatory 2025 draft picks, so the compensation shouldn’t be prohibitive.”
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