Rich Cimini
Rich Cimini
ESPN Staff Writer
Rich Cimini is a staff writer covering the New York Jets and NFL for ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for more than 30 years and joined ESPN in 2010. Rich is also the host of the Flight Deck podcast. He previously served as a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him on Twitter @RichCimini.
Paul Gutierrez
Paul Gutierrez
ESPN Staff Writer
Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as a reporter for the Las Vegas Raiders. His multi-platform roles include writing for ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Prior to joining ESPN, Mr. Gutierrez spent three years as a multi-platform reporter at CSN Bay Area, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics, and anchoring the cable news show SportsNet Central. Mr. Gutierrez has voted for the Baseball Hall of Fame, is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America, and currently serves as president of the Las Vegas chapter of the PFWA. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Mr. Gutierrez is the author of “Tommy Davis’ Stories from the Dodgers Dugout,” “100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” and “If These Walls Could Talk: The Raiders’ Side.” He is the author of three books: Stories from the Line, the Locker Room, and the Press Box: Lincoln Kennedy. Follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN.
Determined to save their season from disaster and preserve their hopes of ending a half-century Super Bowl drought, the New York Jets are finalizing a blockbuster trade for star wide receiver Davante Adams, officials said. He told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.
The Las Vegas Raiders will receive a conditional third-round draft pick with the possibility of upgrading to a second-round pick, according to sources. For the pick to move up to a second-round pick, Adams must be selected as a first- or second-team All-Pro this season or be named to the Jets’ active roster for the AFC Championship Game or Super Bowl, according to sources. It is necessary to connect them.
Sources told Schefter that Adams arrived in New Jersey early Tuesday morning with a deal in principle and is undergoing a medical exam in order to finalize the trade.
Officials told Schefter that the Jets intend to inherit the balance of Adams’ remaining salary. Adams’ salary this season is $17.5 million, with approximately $11.59 million remaining due until the end of the season. And while he is under contract for 2025 and 2026, his annual salary will jump to $36.25 million each season. According to Spotrac.com, the Raiders will carry a dead cap charge of $13.67 million in 2024 and $15.7 million in 2025.
The trade reunites Adams with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, hoping to recreate one of the most dangerous duos in recent NFL history.
2nd Most Targets907689Rec.615487Rec. Yards7,5176,919 TD6865– ESPN Research
At the NFL’s fall owners meeting in Atlanta, Jets owner Woody Johnson acknowledged that a trade for Adams is “still up in the air.”
“He opens everything up, especially with the quarterback, which is really important,” he said.
Adams, who turns 32 on Dec. 24, is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and had his greatest success alongside Rodgers as quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. From 2014 to 2021, they totaled 615 completions, 7,529 yards, and 68 touchdowns. They were the second most prolific team in the NFL behind Matt Ryan and Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons.
The Jets have been on a mission to win now since acquiring Rodgers from the Packers in 2023, and have lost three straight with a 2-4 record. A reunion between Rodgers and Adams seemed inevitable, with Rodgers fanning the flames in July. At the celebrity golf tournament, he said, “I love Davante. I can’t wait to play with him again.”
Asked Tuesday if the Jets’ season can be salvaged, Johnson said, “We’re going to kick…you can add your own words after that. We’re going to do really well.”
Adams’ two-plus seasons in Las Vegas would come to a rocky end with Adams falling out of favor with coach Antonio Pierce and ultimately requesting a trade. He listed the Jets as his first choice, and his wish was granted as the Jets outperformed other teams.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas expressed interest in Adams before the 2023 trade deadline, but was rejected by the Raiders. Sources say he never lost interest and regularly checked to see if Adams was available. This time he moved quickly to get it done.
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The move puts more pressure on Douglas and interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who replaced coach Robert Saleh who was fired last week. The Jets have missed the playoffs for 13 consecutive seasons, the longest active drought in the league, including the past three seasons under Saleh.
Adams joins a crowded receiving corps that includes rising stars Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams and Allen Lazard. They also have Xavier Gipson and rookie Malachi Coley handling punts and kickoff returns.
Rodgers likened Wilson to a young Adams. Rodgers and Wilson didn’t connect well early in the season, but Wilson is coming off two of his most productive games with 21 catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns.
Williams has struggled to produce. Rodgers said Williams ran the wrong route on the Jets’ final play of Monday night’s 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills. In the postgame press conference, Rodgers said that Williams should have run vertically instead of cutting off course, and that the result was an interception. It was the second straight game in which Rodgers’ last pass was intercepted, and both were targeted to Williams.
Adams was originally acquired by the Raiders in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers on March 17, 2022, and Adams, who grew up in Palo Alto, Calif., was traded to the Packers for a first- and second-round draft pick. Sent. Not only will he be closer to home after seven seasons in Green Bay, he will also be reunited with his former college quarterback at Fresno State, Derek Carr. However, Kerr was benched with two games remaining in the final 6-11 season and was fired that offseason.
Still, Adams caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2022. A year later, with Jimmy Garoppolo, Brian Hoyer and Aidan O’Connell at quarterback, Adams had 103 catches for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns.
This season, with Gardner Minshew at quarterback, Adams had 18 receptions for 209 yards and one touchdown in three games. He has missed the Raiders’ past three games due to a hamstring injury.
