The Jets ideally want to trade star wide receiver Davante Adams, but that’s surely not going to happen. So they’ll wind up cutting him.
Even at 32, Adams is still a legit player. Yet his $35.64 million salary in 2025 makes him virtually impossible to trade. Which is why a release is the likeliest outcome here.
OK, so could Adams wind up with the Giants?
Let’s break down that question, with NFL free agency set to begin Monday and all sorts of quarterback issues hanging over the Giants.
First of all, Adams would have to want to sign with the Giants, who are still very much rebuilding (to put it politely). At this stage of his career, Adams might prefer playing for a winner over another big payday. After all, he has already earned $129.5 million in his 11-year career.
Adams made the Pro Bowl every season from 2017-22 and was a first-team All-Pro selection from 2020-22. Is he still that level of player? No.
But consider his 2024 stats, in 14 games with the Raiders and Jets — 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns. He wound up with 75.9 yards per game — ninth in the NFL and two spots below Giants rookie sensation Malik Nabers (80.3 yards per game and seven touchdowns).
Obviously, Nabers is the Giants’ No. 1 receiver — and will be a huge focal point in their 2025 offense, regardless of who plays quarterback. Nabers last season finished second in the NFL with 170 targets.
How would Adams feel about playing opposite Nabers with the Giants — who, again, are still not really any good?
Well, it’s worth remembering that the Giants might just sign Adams’ old pal Aaron Rodgers (absurd as that still seems). Clearly, now that Matthew Stafford is off the table, adding any veteran (somebody like Rodgers or Russell Wilson) would not preclude the Giants from drafting a quarterback (maybe Cam Ward) at No. 3 (or higher) in April.
Adams thrived with Rodgers in Green Bay from 2014-21. They reunited — thanks to a mid-October trade — during last season’s Jets debacle. But now, new Jets coach Aaron Glenn has no interest in keeping Rodgers or Adams — who surely would still love to play with Rodgers again.
The Giants signing Rodgers is probably the only way they’ll have any shot at Adams. And while Adams — because of his age — might not be a long-term solution in East Rutherford, his presence absolutely would help Nabers and the new kid quarterback, whenever he winds up starting.
The Giants have a bunch of other roster holes beyond just quarterback and receiver, of course. They need better cornerback and interior offensive line play. So would spending big on Adams make sense?
That depends on how much money he wants. The Giants are currently 12th in the NFL in salary cap space ($48 million), according to overthecap.com’s estimate. They can free up $6.7 million more by cutting kicker Graham Gano and defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches.
Either way, the Giants surely could make an Adams contract work. But ultimately, the biggest hurdle to Adams landing in East Rutherford will be Adams wanting to land in East Rutherford at this point in his career.
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Darryl Slater may be reached at [email protected].