It has felt inevitable that the marriage between the Las Vegas Raiders and Davante Adams would end in divorce. Amid long-standing frustration with the team's quarterback play and a falling out with head coach Antonio Pierce, Adams informed Las Vegas that he wants to be traded.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Wednesday that the Dallas Cowboys are among the teams that have "checked in" on Adams' situation. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop, Cowboys fans were quickly hit with the expected news that Dallas is not interested in trading for Adams.
The Cowboys pulled out the familiar excuses. Not only are they comfortable with their current receivers but they "don't have the money" to afford Adams and consider their 2025 draft capital more important than previous years. That is a real shame because the Raiders' reported asking price for Adams is right in Dallas' wheelhouse.
Davante Adams trade cost would have been perfect for the Cowboys
The Raiders are hopeful to receive a second-round pick and additional compensation for Adams, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. That price could come down given Adams' age, injury and contract. The three-time All-Pro turns 32 in December, is dealing with a hamstring injury that could keep him out of Week 5 and is owed $13 million for the rest of the season.
A second-round pick might seem like a steep price for an aging WR, especially for a team whose roster building philosophy hinges highly on the draft.
However, the Cowboys have been notoriously poor at drafting in the second round. It doesn't make any sense given their hit rate in other rounds, but for whatever reason round two has been a cesspool of swings and misses during the Jerry Jones era.
Some of Dallas' most recent second-round picks include tight end Luke Schoonmaker (2023), defensive end Sam Williams (2022), cornerback Kelvin Joseph (2021), corner Trevon Diggs (2020) and defensive lineman Trysten Hill (2019). Diggs is the only player that Dallas hit on.
Other notable poor picks include Jaylon Smith and Randy Gregory, both of whom never lived up to their second-round billing.
Meanwhile, the third round has been friendly to the Cowboys. DeMarvion Overshown, Osa Odighizuwa, Michael Gallup, Jourdan Lewis, DeMarco Murray, Connor McGovern and Maliek Collins were all drafted in round three and developed into high-end starters.
The Cowboys seemingly found a gem in 2024 second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland, but if there was any draft pick that the front office should feel comfortable parting with, it should be a second-rounder. Trading for Adams would be a no-brainer for most teams in Dallas' position.
With Brandin Cooks out for Week 5 and potentially longer, the need for a wide receiver has never been more apparent. A day two pick would be enough to get Adams through the door, but the Joneses continue to cry poverty as if they don't run the most valuable sports franchise in the world.
