Jets Clear Cap Space: $77 Million Traded to AFC Rival Texans in…
The writing is on the wall for one longtime star receiver to leave the New York Jets this spring.
This past October, the Jets acquired six-time Pro Bowler Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders, pairing him with longtime teammate and friend Aaron Rodgers. But now that the Jets have decided to move on from Rodgers at quarterback, it’s all but certain that Adams will leave, too.
But while Rodgers is soon to be cut from the roster, the Jets have a more realistic shot at trading Adams for some draft capital in return. He’s still a very productive receiver, even if he might no longer be in the truly elite echelon of NFL pass-catchers at age 32.
That begs the question: Which teams might be one receiver of Adams’ caliber away from contending for a title?
In a recent article, Andrew Buller-Russ of Sportsnaut predicted that Adams would be traded to the Houston Texans, who lost two-thirds of their primary receiving core to season-ending injuries during the 2024 regular season.
“Davante Adams will likely need a new home this offseason thanks to having a $38.3 million cap hit in 2025,” Buller-Russ wrote. “Meanwhile, joining the Texans while they’re waiting for Nico Collins to return from injury could work out well for both parties.”
Last season, Adams tallied 854 yards and seven touchdowns in his 11 games played with Rodgers and the Jets. There’s reason to believe he could pursue a trade to whichever team signs Rodgers. But the Texans, who have a much younger quarterback in C.J. Stroud, could also be an appealing destination.
Having originally signed for five years, $140 million with the Raiders, Adams is now owed $76.7 million in the final two years of his deal. He carries a dead cap hit of just over $8 million if he is released or traded.
Wherever Adams goes, the Jets would do well to get a third-round pick back for him, which is what they sent Las Vegas to get him in the first place. It’s hard to call any move “no harm, no foul” in the NFL, but this would essentially cancel itself out.
