Davante Adams Released Unharmed By New York Jets

Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, Davante Adams is free of the New York Jets at last.

The club is releasing the wide receiver just like everyone knew it would – even last week when general manager Darren Mougey was playing coy with media at the NFL scouting combine, talking about how the club had "a plan" for Adams.

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) walks off the field after the game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jets held off the Jaguars 32-25. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Jets Hope To Trade Adams Didn't Manifest

The plan was to let Adams go and let him sign with another team of his choosing this offseason.

We figured that out quickly enough when both Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn announced Adams was on the Jets roster "right now," clearly hinting it was a temporary status.

So the Jets, who already announced the release of quarterback Aaron Rodgers a couple of weeks ago, are just letting it all go and starting afresh.

They were momentarily a little more coy about Adams, hoping that perhaps that approach would cause another team to offer something in trade for the 32-year-old receiver.

Dec 22, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams (17) fights for yards  as Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake (37) tackles during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

No One Wanted Adams Contract

That didn't work. No team was interested in a trade because no other team would want to inherit the player's contract that was scheduled to pay him $35.6 million in base salary in 2025.

This release was always going to happen because it saves the Jets $22.9 million in salary cap space.

Adams wants to play for a winner. And he'd like to play with Rodgers (assuming he continues to play) or somewhere close to the West Coast.

So everybody is moving on.

Where does Adams land?

The Los Angeles Rams are expected to trade Cooper Kupp (maybe). Kupp has been told as much, but who knows if keeping Matthew Stafford will change that for the Rams. If Kupp goes, Adams might be a fit.

Jan 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich speaks with wide receiver Davante Adams (17) during pregame warmups for their game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Adams Was Better Than Most Think

The Los Angeles Chargers need wide receiver help because they suffer a lot of drops from everyone not named Ladd McConkey.

And, of course, it's possible, Adams will follow Rodgers to whatever team he eventually plays for – perhaps even the New York Giants.

Adams still seems to have gas in the proverbial tank. He played 11 games for the Jets last season and caught 67 passes for 854 yards with 7 TDs.

If one combines what Adams did for the Las Vegas Raiders before he was traded to the Jets along with his production in New York, Adams actually pieced together a season in which he caught 85 passes for 1,063 yards and 8 TDs.

So while the season was not what Adams wanted, the tape shows he was productive. Teams needing a wide receiver could do much worse.