Davante Adams on Trade to Raiders from Packers: 'It's a Dream Come True'
March 22, 2022
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams had his introductory press conference Tuesday and made a few comments about his new home after spending eight years with the Green Bay Packers.
Of note, Adams says the move is "a dream come true" and that he welcomes a trade closer to his home state of California. Also included in the decision for a change was the chance to team up with ex-Fresno State teammate (and now Raiders quarterback) Derek Carr.
Ultimately, he's still appreciative of his time with the Packers, where he made five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams.
Adams caught 123 passes for 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
Adams is playing on a five-year deal worth $141.5 million. The Packers placed the franchise tag on Adams in March, but he told Green Bay that he would not play on the tag in 2022.
This wasn't a money issue for Adams, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted. Simply put, he wanted to move on despite the Packers offering more money for him to stay:
Ian Rapoport @RapSheetFinal thought (for now) on the Davante Adams trade: His agents Frank Bauer and Kenny Chapman confirm that the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Packers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Packers</a> offered more money than the contract he’ll sign in Las Vegas. <br><br>Simply, it was his lifelong dream to be with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a>.
The Raiders now have one of the top two NFL wide receivers in the game in Adams, who has clearly set himself apart from the rest of the league at the position alongside the Los Angeles Rams' Cooper Kupp.
Las Vegas has a fantastic pass-catching trio featuring wideouts Adams and Hunter Renfrow alongside tight end Darren Waller. The Raiders need all the help they can get on offense to hang with the rest of the AFC West, which now features Russell Wilson in Denver.
The Los Angeles Chargers defense should be vastly improved, with the additions of J.C. Jackson and edge-rusher Khalil Mack. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have won 50 regular-season games, two AFC titles and a Super Bowl over the past four years.
The Raiders, who are coming off a playoff campaign and a 10-7 record, should be formidable themselves. We'll see how it all goes down soon enough, but Adams is an instant game-changer in Vegas.