The Packers and Raiders are playing on “Monday Night Football” in Week 5 and the contest will mark Davante Adams’ first game since being traded away from Green Bay.
Adams was selected by the Packers out of Fresno State in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. His first two NFL seasons were lackluster despite earning a starting role, as he struggled to consistently produce despite having plenty of opportunities.
But in 2016, Adams broke out. From there, he developed into one of the NFL’s best receivers and a reliable target for Aaron Rodgers — until he was traded by the team during the 2022 NFL offseason.
The ending to Adams’ time in Green Bay wasn’t too dramatic. The split between the sides was seemingly amicable, and he ended up going to what looked like a desirable situation for him in Las Vegas.
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But has the trade worked out for the Raiders, or did the Packers get the better of the deal? Here’s a look back at the Adams trade and what each team has gotten out of it.
Davante Adams trade details
Raiders get:
- WR Davante Adams
Packers get:
- 2022 first-round pick (22nd overall)
- 2022 second-round pick (53rd overall)
The Raiders acquired Adams from the Packers on March 18, 2022, just four days after Adams informed Green Bay that he would not play on the franchise tag. The Raiders sent a first-round pick and a second-round pick to the Packers for Adams.
The Packers’ decision to trade Adams ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft allowed them the opportunity to add a couple of potential high-impact players in that class rather than wait until 2023 to acquire draft capital. It also ensured that their relationship with Adams didn’t sour in full, as they moved him quickly and to a team that employed his friend, Derek Carr, as a part of the deal.
So, while the Raiders got the best player in the trade, the Packers certainly didn’t do too badly for themselves. Perhaps they regretted trading Adams after missing the playoffs amid Aaron Rodgers’ issues in 2022, but, even so, the Packers are set up to benefit long-term because of the trade.
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What did the Packers get for Davante Adams?
The Packers were able to use the two selections they acquired to add talent to their team. Here’s a look at the two players they landed with the picks involved in the Adams trade.
Quay Walker
- Asset used: 2022 first-round pick (22nd overall)
The Packers kept the main piece acquired in the Adams trade, the 22nd overall pick, and used it in an effort to upgrade their defense. They spent it on Georgia linebacker Quay Walker, a high-upside linebacker with elite speed and athleticism.
Walker endured some issues during his rookie season. Namely, he was ejected from games twice — once for shoving a Bills practice squad player on the sideline and once for shoving a member of the Lions medical staff as he came to tend to an injured player.
Even so, Walker racked up 121 tackles, seven pass defenses, three forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks as a rookie. He looks like a quality three-down linebacker and should only get better as he hones his instincts. So it seems like the Packers got at least one quality starter in exchange for Adams.
Christian Watson
- Asset used: 2022 second-round pick (53rd overall)
Watson wasn’t acquired directly with the 53rd overall pick. It was packaged with Green Bay’s own second-round pick (59th overall) to jump up to the 34th pick. At that point, the Packers selected Watson, a wide receiver out of North Dakota State.
He has dealt with some injuries during his brief NFL career to date, but he flashed as a rookie. He has elite size (6-4) and speed, and that appeared on tape as he averaged 14.9 yards per catch and seven touchdowns for the Packers in just 14 games (11 starts).
As Watson hones his raw skill set, he could become a solid No. 1 receiver. He certainly isn’t at Adams’ level yet, but his explosiveness and speed will make him a great deep threat and potential long-term partner for QB Jordan Love.
So again, the Packers appear to have gotten another good player as a part of the Adams deal. And without acquiring the 53rd overall pick, it would have been harder for the Packers to make the jump necessary to grab Watson.
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Davante Adams stats with the Raiders
The Packers are likely happy with the haul that they received for Adams, so what about the Raiders’ end of the deal?
Well, Vegas can’t be too upset with Adams’ performance. He continued to be one of the best receivers in the NFL during the 2022 NFL season thanks to his chemistry with Derek Carr. And even through four games into 2023, he has shown an ability to play well with Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell at quarterback.
Below is a look at Adams’ stats during his year-plus stint with the Raiders.
| Year | Targets | Catches | Yards | Touchdowns | Yards per catch |
| 2022 | 180 | 100 | 1,516 | 14 | 15.2 |
| 2023 | 50 | 33 | 397 | 3 | 12.0 |
The Raiders may be happy with that production — especially Adams’ league-leading 14 touchdowns and All-Pro nod in 2022 — but the fact remains that the Raiders are just 7-14 since trading for him. Blame for that doesn’t fall on Adams, but it turns out that his acquisition didn’t put the team over the top as its brass had hoped it would.
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Who won the Davante Adams trade?
It’s tough to gauge exactly who won the Adams trade given the ending of the Packers’ 2022 season.
Green Bay failed to make the playoffs in Aaron Rodgers’ final season with the team, in part, because its receiving corps had its share of issues. The Packers were relying on young but talented receivers, but it just never came together between them and Rodgers, so it’s worth wondering whether Adams would have gotten the team to the postseason.
At the same time, the Packers got two good starters out of the trade and Watson ultimately may end up being a No. 1 receiver in the NFL. If that happens, then the Packers won’t mind having missed the postseason in a year during which they weren’t really a Super Bowl contender anyway.
As for the Raiders, they have gotten strong production from Adams, so that is a positive. However, the team still hasn’t been able to win with him, so that makes the trade a bit of a miscalculation for Las Vegas.
That’s not to say that the Adams deal was a bad one; and the receiver is even worth the six-year, $140 million contract that Vegas gave him. But unless the Raiders can make the playoffs and become somewhat of a contender with Adams on the roster, this all-in move won’t have been suitable for the team.
It also doesn’t help that, if the Raiders keep losing, Adams could eventually ask to be traded. If that happens, they probably won’t receive the same type of compensation that they gave up to get him.
So, while this trade is relatively balanced, it looks like the Packers benefitted the most from the deal. Perhaps that will change if things start clicking for the Raiders under Josh McDaniels but for now, Adams’ talent is, perhaps, being wasted on a middling team with many holes.