Davante Adams‘ future was a talking point Wednesday when the wide receiver said he wanted to stay with the Las Vegas Raiders even though they seem very likely to move on without quarterback Derek Carr, a close friend who helped lure Adams to the team this offseason. Other angles to Davante Adams’ future in Las Vegas also came to light.
“I wouldn’t have been here or ended up here, originally, probably if Derek wasn’t here,” Adams said in his weekly media availability, according to ESPN. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean that I won’t be here in the event that he’s not here.”
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The reunion of the former Fresno State Bulldogs teammates did not go according to plan. Adams had another good statistical season, with 95 receptions for 1,443 yards and 14 touchdowns heading into the NFL Week 18 season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. But neither Carr nor the Raiders were as successful.
The quarterback passed for 3,522 yards, his first season in the past five under 4,000, with 24 TDs, a career-high 14 interceptions and an 86.3 passer rating that is his lowest since his rookie season of 2014. He was benched following a Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and is away from the team to complete the season. ESPN said if Carr were to have been injured, it would cost the Raiders $40 million in contract guarantees.
“That’s my boy. Obviously, I’ve got his back through anything,” Davante Adams said. “I think I’ve made that more than clear at this point. I support him and I support everything that he has moving forward as well. But my dream was to play for this team before he was a Raider, and at this point I want to try to make this thing work and continue on doing what I’m doing here, myself get better and see the team grow and get better as well.”
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Las Vegas started the season 0-3 and 2-7 and sits at 6-10 entering Saturday. Jarrett Stidham will start his second game at QB on Saturday, with the Raiders 9.5-point underdogs (FanDuel).
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ESPN says Carr “could be cut for a $5.625 million salary cap hit if the move is made within three days of the Super Bowl.”
“None of us is happy with where we’re at, but we think it’s an opportunity to evaluate a younger player who hasn’t had much time to play,” Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels told ESPN. “Derek was great. He understands the scenario that we’re in and the situation and is very supportive of the two young guys (Stidham and Chase Garbers). He’ll do anything he can to help them.”
Prior to the season, the Raiders were +175 to make the playoffs (11th in the AFC), +650 to win the AFC West (last), +1600 to win the AFC (eighth), and +3000 to win the Super Bowl (15th).
