It seemed like the Las Vegas Raiders were gaining momentum after their Week 2 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. However, a tough 36-22 loss to the winless Carolina Panthers, led by 36-year-old Andy Dalton in his first start since Week 3 of last season, brought them crashing back to reality. The Raiders’ season outlook appears grim, especially with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell as the only quarterbacks on the roster. This has sparked speculation that the Raiders might consider trading their star players, such as Davante Adams, Maxx Crosby, or even Jakobi Meyers, in order to rebuild for the future. After all, the franchise has made the playoffs just twice in the past 21 seasons, and long-term success seems elusive.

Davante Adams Praises Rookie Quarterback

Davante Adams hasn’t had the career he envisioned with the Raiders. After a stellar first season where he recorded 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns alongside Derek Carr, his production has since declined without a top-tier quarterback. This year, the Raiders didn’t draft a franchise quarterback, despite it being an obvious need after a couple of years of underperformance at the position. Adams, aware of the team’s struggles, shared on ‘Up and Adams’ with Kay Adams that if Jayden Daniels had been available with the 13th pick in the draft, the Raiders would have selected him.

Of course, drafting Daniels wasn’t realistic, given that he was the Heisman Trophy winner and a top prospect who went off the board early. Still, Adams’ comments could be seen as a subtle nudge, perhaps hoping to catch the attention of Daniels and the Commanders, potentially hinting at a trade to bring Adams to Washington. Pairing Adams with Daniels, alongside Washington’s Terry McLaurin, would create a top dangerous offensive trio in the NFL, though this is purely speculation. In reality, the Raiders used their 13th pick to draft tight end Brock Bowers, who has had an impressive start to his rookie campaign. Unfortunately, the team’s late-season surge last year, winning three of their last four games, left them without a top draft pick, missing out on elite quarterbacks like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and other top prospects like Bo Nix.

Raiders Upcoming Schedule

For now, Davante Adams will have to stick with the Raiders as they face the Cleveland Browns at home this Sunday. The Browns have been underwhelming this season, giving the Raiders a chance to rebound. After that, they head to Denver for a divisional matchup against the Broncos, a game that is historically tightly contested. Following that, the Raiders will host the Steelers in what used to be an AFC classic. These upcoming games feature less explosive offenses until the Raiders face the Los Angeles Rams in LA. By then, Rams stars Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua could be back from their injuries, setting the stage for a much more challenging test.