Following weeks of tension, the Las Vegas Raiders finally traded star wide receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets for a conditional third-round draft pick.
A recent report by ESPN’s Rich Cimini and Paul Gutierrez sheds light on the events leading up to the trade, revealing that Adams’ behavior and injury status were key points of contention.
The report states that the Raiders believed Adams’ hamstring injury, sustained on September 26, was not as serious as he claimed.
“From the team’s perspective, Adams had already checked out,” Cimini and Gutierrez wrote.
They cited a team source who noted that Adams appeared physically ready to play in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos, but he did not take the field.
Adams originally suffered the injury before the Raiders’ Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns.
The ESPN article notes that he formally requested a trade the day after that victory. His absence extended into Week 6, missing two consecutive games, before the Raiders sent him to the Jets days after their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While only Adams can speak to the true extent of his injury, the fact that he is now reportedly healthy and ready to contribute for the Jets raises questions.
The team’s frustration hints that they may have viewed his injury as a reason to disengage mentally, contributing to the fallout that resulted in the trade.
