Hypothetical NFL Trade Packages for Jets to Reunite Davante Adams with Aaron Rodgers

Rumors are swirling that the New York Jets are looking to reunite Aaron Rodgers with Davante Adams, the wideout who spent the 2014-21 seasons working with the future Hall of Fame quarterback during their joint tenure with the Green Bay Packers.

While Gang Green already boasts a loaded receiving corps headlined by one of the NFL’s emerging stars in Garrett Wilson, they could further boost their Super Bowl chances by adding one of the generation’s premier pass-catchers. This wouldn’t be the Jets’ first attempt to get Adams either, as they reportedly made a run at him at last year’s trade deadline.

According to Bradley Locker of the New York Post, Rodgers recently fueled new trade speculation by publicly saying “I can’t wait to play with [Adams]…again”.

WFAN’s Boomer Esiason hinted that a reunification could occur later in the offseason, citing late-August or early-September as a realistic timeframe for a trade.

Although Esiason said he’s “hearing that this is gonna happen” and other New York stars are already discussing the move like it’s inevitable, the Jets still need to put a respectable offer on the table to pry Adams away from the Las Vegas Raiders. Vegas notably coughed up first- and second-round picks to acquire the receiver from the Green Bay Packers two years ago.

With that in mind, let’s highlight some trade packages that the Jets could put together to land Adams this summer.

Raiders receive: 2025 first- and fourth-round picks –or– 2025 and 2026 second-round picks

Jets receive: WR Davante Adams

The Jets aren’t shying away from trading valuable draft picks for proven players near the end of their primes. The team gave up several to get Rodgers following the 2022 campaign and could once again dip into their stockpile to pair the superstar passer back up with the most prolific receiver he’s ever played with.

New York is holding eight selections in the 2025 draft and has most of its picks in the 2026 draft as well, although they will eventually have to send either a second- or third-rounder from that set over to the Philadelphia Eagles to complete the Haason Reddick trade.

That’s plenty of capital to get a deal with the Raiders done, although Gang Green could go a couple ways with their initial offer. One option would be to center a package around their first-round selection while also offering an early Day 3 pick to sweeten the pot. Another viable choice would be to try and entice Vegas with Round 2 picks in each of the next two drafts.

Assuming the Jets end up with a pick towards the bottom of the order, both packages have similar valuation on the Jimmy Johnson chart. The first package would be worth a tad more in total value, but doesn’t provide the Raiders the flexibility of acquiring another premium pick in a potentially more loaded 2026 draft class.

Although Adams did cost the Raiders slightly more in 2022, he was heading into an age 30 season and still in the middle of his prime at the time. He remained highly productive last year—catching 103 passes for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns—but did take a slight step back in terms of production.

2023 marked the first season since 2019 that Adams failed to make the All-Pro squad and first time since 2016 that he didn’t earn a Pro Bowl nod. Now that he’s on the cups of an age 32 campaign (which has historically been a major drop-off season for receivers), the Raiders should be more than willing to accept one of these offers to recoup a good chunk of the capital they initially sent out for the wideout.

Raiders receive: OL Alijah Vera-Tucker

Jets receive: WR Davante Adams

If the Jets don’t want to follow in the “f*** them picks” approach that Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead took to help his star-studded squad win Super Bowl LVI, they could still try to land Adams by flipping one of their desirable young talents.

Alijah Vera-Tucker, a versatile offensive lineman who fills one of Las Vegas’ most glaring roster holes, may be all it takes for the Raiders to move on from Adams.

Vera-Tucker may be considered expendable despite offering the capability to expedite a rebuilding effort in Las Vegas. He’s currently slated to start at right guard for Gang Green, but the team has 2023 fourth-rounder Max Mitchell waiting in the wings as a potential replacement.

Standing an impressive 6’5″, 308 pounds with proven experience at both the guard and tackle positions, the Raiders could plug the USC product in nearly anywhere and instantly see an upgrade.

Outside of stalwart left tackle Kolton Miller, the Raiders simply don’t have much to work with in the offensive trenches. The team might have found a solid starter at left guard with second-rounder Jackson Powers-Johnson, but only time will tell if the rookie is as good as advertised. The right side of the line is especially weak, with Vera-Tucker making for an ideal candidate to replace either tackle Thayer Munford Jr. or guard Dylan Parham.

Giving up on an o-lineman with as much skill and potential as Vera-Tucker won’t be an easy decision for the Jets, but there are major red flags surrounding him due to an extensive injury. The 25-year-old hasn’t played a full season since entering the league, including missing 10 games in 2022 with a torn triceps and 12 due to an Achilles tear last year.

Adams has logged far more mileage than Vera-Tucker but has never missed more than four games in a season and has only been sidelined for a single contest over the last three years combined.

Considering their season went up in flames following Rodgers’ injury in the 2023 opener, availability and consistency should be a priority for a Jets team desperate to win a championship before their slim Super Bowl window slams shut.

Las Vegas’ hopes of seriously contending in 2024 took a major blow when the franchise failed to land an elite passer. After striking out on Kirk Cousins in free agency and reported attempts to move up the draft board fell short, the Raiders were saddled with an underwhelming quarterback room.

The results of the impending competition between Gardner Minshew II—the journeyman they signed off the open market—and incumbent starter Aidan O’Connell hardly matter, as neither has the skill required to lead this team through a brutal AFC West schedule and emerge as a legitimate Super Bowl force.

Given the hand they’ve been dealt with a roster largely bereft of the type of talent required to consistently compete at a high level, trading away aging veterans like Adams would be a sensible decision. The picks and players the Raiders could get in return are far more likely to still be playing a role when the team is ready to contend again.

Although the Raiders’ ceiling won’t be as high in the near term, Adams’ departure could ultimately be a boon for the remaining pass-catchers in Vegas’ lineup. The longtime veteran has accounted for a herculean 355 targets across the two seasons he’s been in Sin City, looks that could be spread around amongst the team’s young talents.

Expect plenty of those vacated targets to get directed towards the promising tight end tandem of Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, a pair of prospects who the Raiders invested early picks into during the last two drafts. Vegas will also be able to get the ball to Tre Tucker more often after he flashed serious potential over the final month of his rookie season last year.

By developing skill position players during a down season, the Raiders can start cultivating an environment that will be more beneficial for a quarterback prospect to eventually step into. The timeline for landing a potential franchise signal-caller still remains unclear, but the picks and/or players they would net for Adams can play a major role in unearthing one within the next few seasons.