With Las Vegas Raiders star Davante Adams officially asking out on Tuesday, the coming days, weeks, and maybe months will be full of trade scenarios and updates. However, few potential Adams suitors make more sense than the Kansas City Chiefs.
With Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Rashee Rice both injured, the Chiefs are left with soon-to-be 35-year-old Travis Kelce and rookie Xavier Worthy as the primary pass-catchers. Tailback Isiah Pacheco is also on injured reserve, so Patrick Mahomes has limited options to work with.
Naturally, Kansas City is 4-0 anyway, and it won the Super Bowl last season with a limited wide receiver room. Adams on the Chiefs, though, would make them nearly unstoppable.
While the New York Jets are oft-discussed as a good fit for Adams, he's more likely to win with the two-time defending champions, via former NFL player Robert Griffin III.
“I know Davante Adams and (New York Jets quarterback) Aaron Rodgers are like peanut butter and jelly,” Griffin continued. “A perfect match. But going from the Raiders to the Jets would be trading dysfunction for dysfunction. The Chiefs provide an opportunity to make history and be a part of the first three-peat EVER. Teams have made trades to their division rival before. If the Raiders only care about compensation for him the Chiefs should be trying to join the Adams family.”
What would it take for Kansas City to land Adams in a deal? At least a second-round draft pick, via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
“ESPN sources: Raiders have informed other teams that they would ‘consider' trading WR Davante Adams for a package that would include a second-round pick and additional compensation,” Schefter reported.
However, the Chiefs need to sweeten the pot to convince a divisional rival to trade them a star.
Chiefs must offer Raiders draft capital and players
Kansas City should offer a 2025 second-rounder, a 2026 third-rounder, and second-year defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah for Adams. The 2023 first-round pick is on his rookie contract through 2026, with a club option in 2027. He has 20 tackles with 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery through 21 career games thus far.
This deal gives the Raiders both draft capital and a developing young player at a premium position with which to rebuild the team. Although Las Vegas would have to eat a $40.44 million dead cap charge this season, it would also avoid Adams' $44.1 million cap hit in 2025 and '26.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs would get a star player under team control through '26 as they aim to stay on the NFL mountaintop.