The Arizona Cardinals claim to be open for business with the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and the Las Vegas Raiders desperately need to solidify an uncertain future at quarterback.
Trading up in the draft could wind up being a prudent strategy for the Raiders, especially if their preferred quarterback in this year’s class slides past the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New England Patriots with the first four picks.
According to former NFL Executive of The Year Rick Spielman, the Raiders and Cardinals could be ripe to pull off a blockbuster trade ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft getting underway.
Former NFL GM Suggests Las Vegas Raiders Trade Davante Adams to Arizona Cardinals
Davante Adams’ tenure in Las Vegas has been marred with frequent speculation that the All-Pro receiver could request a trade, and at least one former general manager believes the time might be right for the Raiders to pull off a blockbuster.CBS Sports projects a trade that sends Adams to the Cardinals, in exchange for the No. 4 overall pick, and the chance to draft the best remaining quarterback; be it J.J. McCarthy, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, after the Chicago Bears presumably select Caleb Williams No. 1 overall.
“[That] would grab my attention,” Spielman wrote for CBS Sports, of a potential Adams trade offer to the Cardinals.
Adams is coming off a prolific 2023 season in which he caught 103 passes for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns, while averaging 11.1 yards per reception, despite wildly inconsistent quarterback play.
In Arizona, the Cardinals seem committed to Kyler Murray, which could open the door for Ossenfort to trade back with a quarterback-needy team such as the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, or Raiders, among others.
“If I’m Arizona I’m asking for the moon,” Spielman writes. “The worst the other team can say is “no.”
A deal for Adams would certainly qualify.
What Davante Adams Would Bring Arizona Cardinals
Adams remains one of the premier wide receivers in the sport, so trading him away would create pitfalls for the Raiders and an incoming rookie quarterback but could instantly elevate Murray and the Cardinals’ vertical passing game.
As Pro Football Focus points out, Raiders quarterbacks posted an 81.1 passer rating when targeting Adams.
Dropping the 31-year-old in the Cardinals’ receiving corps, would give Murray the kind of weapon the Cardinals have lacked since DeAndre Hopkins’ departure for the Tennessee Titans.
Last season, it was Trey Mcbride who led the Cardinals in receiving yards, with just 825.
The issue for the Cardinals might be that be that Adams carries a $25.3 million cap hit for the upcoming 2024 season, and Arizona isn’t just one veteran wide receiver away from competing.
Likewise, Adams has a no-trade clause, so he would have to be on board with and approve departing the AFC West for what would become a haphazard rebuild with the Cardinals.
If Las Vegas were to offer Adams in a trade proposal, we’ll learn pretty quickly just how close Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon believe the Cardinals are to challenging the likes of the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams at the top of the NFC West.
