Two big wide receiver trades shook the NFL on Tuesday, and both were largely expected.
Davante Adams ended up getting a trade from the struggling Raiders and found a new home in New York, where he has a family face in Aaron Rodgers. Adams going to the Jets was the most likely scenario in trade rumors and a natural landing spot for the veteran receiver.
An even more shocking trade occurred later in the day, when Amari Cooper was traded from the Browns to the Bills in a move aimed at solidifying Buffalo's offense for a playoff push. Cleveland accepted that 2024 would be an offensive disaster and was going to get something back for Cooper before then. He will inevitably leave in free agency at the end of the season.
We are left with two players, four teams and a variety of situations. How did these two deals turn out for everyone involved?
Davante Adams to Jets
There's no question that this was a big topic for New York. Rodgers is effectively throwing to Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard, but the other outside spot is a big problem. Rodgers and Mike Williams are not on the same page in 2024, and that is actively hurting the offense.
This will move Davante Adams across from Wilson and allow Lazard to play in the frame. This is a much better scenario overall and should open up a much more passing offense than Williams allowed.
This makes a lot of sense from a soccer perspective, but when you look at the numbers it gets a little harder. There's no question that the Jets got Adams to write a song as compensation. He's still an elite receiver and, paired with Wilson, gives the Jets an incredible one-two punch.
Having said that, he also a lot of money. A lot of that will depend on whether the Jets can win a Super Bowl or whether Rodgers can return in 2025. If neither happens, New York is overspending on a WR and it's questionable whether they can afford it. However, given the circumstances, these concerns about the future are quite small.
Jets grade: A-
As for the Raiders, this was a necessary trade that showed this whole deal was an abysmal disaster. In the end, the team sent a first-round pick for two years of great play, but it didn't amount to anything and they got a small amount back.
Cutting salaries would be great for Las Vegas and might actually allow them to rebuild properly. But it's ridiculous that they couldn't even get a second round pick for Adams. The Jets have managed to place very strict restrictions on contracts, so it's highly unlikely that the Raiders will acquire a second-rounder in a trade. So from a human resources standpoint, they're being robbed of money.
Raiders grade: B-
Amari Cooper to Bills
No player in the NFL attracts more attention than Amari Cooper. He left behind the absolutely abominable Deshaun Watson and landed a team with Super Bowl potential led by one of the league's best quarterbacks.
Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman have been great for Buffalo, but the signing of Curtis Samuel didn't work out so well. Cooper should fill that need at a positive level and diversify an already strong passing attack.
The only area where this situation could be shaken is whether Cooper's struggles become the new normal. Much of his problems in Cleveland were due to Watson, who in 2024 threw nine dropped passes, two of which resulted in interceptions, but didn't help himself. There's no doubt we'll need to see a better Amari Cooper in Buffalo to have the effect of making the Bills an elite team, but there's good reason to believe this can work.
Would spending a third on Cooper be a little too much for the rest of his 2024 rental? Probably, but if it leads the Bills to the top, it'll be well worth it.
Banknote grade: B+
What is left unsaid on the other side of this? The Browns are a complete mess and this will only make the team worse. I'm glad Cleveland didn't do anything, but with an anchor like Watson dragging down an entire franchise, a third-round pick is cruel consolation. But in terms of this contract, the Browns received about the same compensation as the Raiders for a player who underperformed. That's a solid deal.
Browns Grade: B+
