As if the NFL couldn't get any crazier over the past two weeks.
The Las Vegas Raiders and the Green Bay Packers have reached an agreement to send Davante Adams to the Raiders in exchange for two 2022 picks, including their first-round selection, which stands at No. 22 overall in the draft, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Adams, who had been adamant about a contract extension, now reunites with his college teammate at Fresno State, quarterback Derek Carr, in Las Vegas, where they'll compete in a loaded AFC West for a potential playoff spot in 2022.
The Raiders had already made an offseason trade, sending defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Rock Ya-Sin in a player-for-player swap on Wednesday, improving their roster, alongside the Denver Broncos, who've acquired quarterback Russell Wilson and San Francisco 49ers fan-favorite defensive tackle D.J. Jones, the Kansas City Chiefs, who've been a contender in the AFC for several years, and the Los Angeles Chargers, who traded for defensive end Khalil Mack and signed cornerback J.C. Jackson in an effort to eclipse their division rivals in 2022.
Adams received a five-year extension worth $141.25 million, averaging $28.25 million per year on his new deal going into his age-30 season.
Adams was expected to be the highest-paid wide receiver eligible for an extension this offseason, although a couple of third-year players, 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel, Tennessee Titans receiver A.J. Brown, Seattle Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf, and Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin, are all in the mix to get hefty long-term contracts this offseason from their respective teams.
Prior to agreeing to his new extension, Adams was reportedly fetching $30 million per year on a potential deal, however; the star receiver received just(I know, just) $28.25 million per season on this contract.
How does that bode for Deebo Samuel?
After a week in which Christian Kirk managed to obtain a four-year, $82 million deal and Chris Godwin signed a three-year, $60 million deal off an ACL tear, this news bodes well for the 49ers regarding Deebo Samuel.
While he potentially could've warranted asking for $26-27 million per year had Adams received a $30 million per year contract, Adams's settled price likely resorts Samuel, and his fellow third-year receivers, to an average annual value of around $24 million a year, which was my prediction a couple of months ago for a Samuel contract.