Davante Adams has missed the last three games due to a hamstring injury, but he’s expected to play this week for the New York Jets. He hasn’t played since requesting a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, and many have noticed how healthy he looks now that he’s in a situation he prefers.
Adams credited the Raiders’ medical staff for helping him recover.
“Thank you for asking about the injury. I’m feeling great, man,” Adams said on the October 15 episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.” “I was working with the staff in Vegas the whole time and they got me back right, so fortunately I’ll be able to roll.”
However, fans and analysts have raised eyebrows about the timing of his recovery coinciding with the trade. It’s hard to gauge the true severity of Adams’ injury, but the fact that he’s now fit and ready to play so soon has drawn skepticism.
The original recovery timeline was set for a few weeks, and it has now been that long since Adams requested the trade. While the optics may not be ideal, it’s unlikely that Adams is worried about the Raiders’ opinion of him at this point.
Insider Accuses Adams of Quitting on Raiders
Regardless of how serious his injury was, the narrative that Adams quit on the Raiders is gaining traction. Vic Tafur of The Athletic laid out his reasoning for believing this on the October 17 episode of the “Just Win” podcast.
“When you quit on your team on a Victory Monday, I think that’s a really rare and weird thing,” Tafur said. “The team is 2-2, [so] I think it’s odd to go into Pierce’s office and say, ‘I can’t be here.’ But my bigger issue is the next day, he goes on the ‘Up and Adams Show’ and indirectly points the finger at Antonio Pierce, referencing the Instagram post and saying, ‘we haven’t talked, I don’t know what that’s about,’ when he clearly knew he had asked for a trade the day before.”
“To me, it felt disingenuous. Some fans say he quit on the team, and I can’t disagree with that. Whatever his reasons were—whether he was frustrated, upset about the quarterbacks, or disappointed with the situation—he did quit on the team. That’s factually accurate.”
Requesting a trade after a win is a bold move, especially since Adams had previously dismissed trade rumors as false. Nevertheless, given the circumstances, a trade seemed inevitable.
Can Adams Turn Things Around for the Jets?
Another reason people struggle to sympathize with Adams in this situation is that he specifically pushed to join the Jets, a 2-4 team that recently fired its head coach. They’re not much better off than the Raiders, and their track record isn’t great either.
Adams appears to be banking on a 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers to turn the Jets’ season around. But it’s doubtful that one wide receiver can salvage a struggling team. While the Jets might win some games, making the playoffs seems like a long shot.
