Getty Las Vegas Raiders GM Tom Telesco.

The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of good pieces throughout the roster but the team may be too weak at quarterback to realistically compete in a loaded AFC. A lot of those pieces are young pieces to build around but there’s one aging star who isn’t particularly patient.

Wide receiver Davante Adams will be turning 32 during the 2024 season. He remains one of the top receivers in the NFL and wants to compete for Super Bowls. That could prove difficult in Las Vegas until they figure out the quarterback position. Adams hasn’t been shy about showing his frustration when the team isn’t winning but has maintained he doesn’t want to get traded.

ESPN’s Seth Walder isn’t buying that he’ll be with the Raiders long-term. He pitched a trade that would send Adams to the Buffalo Bills for a 2025 second-round pick.

“Adams is 31 years old and due to make only $17.5 million in cash this season,” Walder wrote in an August 7 column. “He’ll not only be older next year (and might be showing some initial signs of decline), but he’ll also be scheduled to make $36.25 million at that point. If the Raiders don’t deal Adams before the trade deadline this year, they might never be able to trade him.

“The rational move would have been to do this last year or earlier this offseason, but there’s still time for the Raiders to salvage value from Adams. They should move him now for draft capital that will help the team down the road, even though Adams’ trade value has already regressed a bit.”

Second-Round Pick Is Too Low for Davante Adams

The Raiders haven’t shown any interest in trading Adams and he doesn’t appear to want a trade. If Las Vegas is going to consider moving him, it would likely have to be for more than a second-round pick. Trading Adams to the Bills for just a second-round pick doesn’t make much sense when you consider the New York Jets share a division with them.

The Jets have been linked to Adams for over a year and it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t at least match a second-round pick offer for the wide receiver. There could end up being an AFC East bidding war if Adams becomes available and the Raiders are in no rush to trade him away for a low return.

Tom Telesco Addresses Davante Adams Trade Rumors

While the Adams trade rumors persist, the Raiders have been adamant that they won’t move him. General manager Tom Telesco just recently reiterated this fact.

“As far as future, future, once we hit training camp for everybody, we’re all focused on the field,” Telesco said on the August 2 episode of the “Scoop City” podcast. “I’m not worried about contracts, I’m not worried about 2025, 2026, 2027 right now, it’s all 2024. We need Davante right now. Whoever our starting quarterback is, is going to need the help of those guys, the receivers, the tight ends, the running backs. So having Davante here is a big deal for us.”

It’s possible that if the season gets off to a rough start, Telesco will change his mind but any trade before the start of the season seems highly unlikely.