The Las Vegas Raiders have lost three straight games after opening the 2023 campaign with a victory in Denver. From self-inflicted errors to untimely injuries, the Silver and Black regularly find themselves behind the eight ball on Sundays. Stars like Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs are (rightfully) tired of dealing with it. Now, Dave Ziegler has a decision to make.
Will GM Dave Ziegler Pull The Plug On Davante Adams Or Josh Jacobs?
Josh McDaniels deserves the criticism sent his way. When a team is as undisciplined as the Raiders, the blame should fall at the head coach’s feet. Even worse than the penalties, McDaniels has made some boneheaded play calls, including multiple disastrous red zone trips on the year.
So, with Vegas sitting at 1-3 and frustrations seemingly at a boiling point, would general manager Dave Ziegler consider selling off his star players on the trade market?
The Dilemma With Trading Davante Adams
The Raider who would receive the biggest trade offer — aside from Maxx Crosby — is the perennial All-Pro wideout Davante Adams. The franchise traded away a first and second-round pick for Adams two off-seasons ago, but with his college buddy Derek Carr no longer on the roster, things have undoubtedly changed in Sin City.
To Adams’ credit, he has remained professional in the face of trade rumors. Speculation began as soon as Carr was released from the Silver and Black. While trading Adams could make sense for a rebuilding squad, two roadblocks stand in the way.
First and foremost, it would be a bad look for Ziegler and Co. to give up on the 2023 campaign, especially if the front office is feeling any heat from owner Mark Davis. Adams proved vs. the Chargers that he can succeed with anyone at quarterback, even a fourth-round rookie like Aidan O’Connell.
Adams’ contract also presents a major issue for the team acquiring the star pass catcher and for the Raiders. He is due for a hefty dead cap hit next season, and with Vegas already biting the bullet by releasing Chandler Jones, it might be too much for Ziegler to stomach.
Davante Adams would fetch at least a first-round pick from a contender — and likely even more than that. At 30 years old, he is still at the peak of his powers, but don’t expect a move to happen, at least not before the Oct. 31 trade deadline. Perhaps it becomes more likely in the offseason, but Adams is a Raider for the remainder of the season. Book it.
Has Josh Jacobs’ Value Plummeted Too Much For Raiders To Trade Him?
Josh Jacobs, on the other hand, is on an expiring deal. That makes the Raiders infinitely more likely to move on from the 2022 rushing champion if they receive a suitable offer before Oct. 31. That being said, Jacobs’ performance through four games might have tanked his trade value so much that Ziegler won’t consider moving him for pennies on the dollar.
So far, Jacobs is averaging 2.7 yards per carry. Sure, the offensive line is not helping him out, but context isn’t always a part of trade talks in the NFL. Teams will see his inefficiency and be less willing to offer a fair market deal. But this is the bed the Raiders made; now they must lie in it or set it ablaze.
After such hoopla over the offseason surrounding Jacobs and Vegas’ unwillingness to trade or pay him, the organization is now backed into a corner. If a general manager calls Ziegler with a worthwhile offer, it would be hard for the Raiders to turn that down. But would a third or fourth-round selection be enough?
My guess is no. But there is a chance that the front office’s expectations have adjusted. Maybe it now views this as more of a rebuilding process than initially planned. If so, trading Jacobs and recouping any value for him is a better move in the long run, even if it would sting.
If the Raiders keep Jacobs around all season, and he eventually walks in free agency, Vegas will likely receive a compensation pick in return. But that pick will be determined by the value of Jacobs’ next contract. It could be anything from a third-rounder to a seventh-rounder to nothing at all.
Final Prediction: Vegas Keeps Both
Josh Jacobs, because of his contract, is the more likely trade option. Davante Adams is too important for the offense, and his dead cap makes a worthy trade nearly impossible midseason. The issues for the Raiders go deeper than skill positions. The offensive line is a mess, and coaching on both sides leaves much to be desired.
It’s hard to see a path toward Jacobs being a 100-yard-per-game running back in Vegas in 2023. But if a team like the Ravens or Rams sees Jacobs as the final piece of a potential championship puzzle? That possibility could net the Raiders a nice draft pick in return.
The ball is in Dave Ziegler’s court. He holds all the cards. That, my friends, is a scary proposition.
*Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Seriously, do you watch the games? The Raiders offensive line run blocking is sad, Jacobs is making most of his yards after contact. He is a great player period! It’s not his fault the play calling is predictable and obvious. The Raiders need to fire the GM clown who brought DE Chandler Jones ( another former Patriot disaster at a ridiculous contract. ) Raiders fans all know that Mark Davis whiffed on the clowns he brought to town. We all know it, stop writing about a great draft choice (previous mgmt ), now start writing about Mark Davis should be firing these underachieving managers and coaches who are ruining the franchise.
BillyBear is on point: Next year alone, Jimmy G and Chandler Jones count a combined $40 mil against our cap. 2 utter and complete busts.
I say trade Ziegler and McD back to New England for a ham sandwich and a cuppa joe. They are making Gruden and Mayock look better every day.
As both have openly stated they are tired of losing and dont have time to wait around its prudent to do as they say, ask or want. Its a given coach is on a short leash and I figure he has just a week or two left before he is fired and rightly so. The season is already a dumpster fire when it should be a season of “WOW…look at these Raiders go!!” under 2nd year of new GM and coach.
The team is going in reverse when it should be steamrolling forward. The Jimmy “perfect hair” experiment is a huge failure. The O line is a literal disaster. There is no quick recovery from this as it will take more than a year to fix.
The GM has done a fair job (not great) so keep him…maybe?
FIRE the rest including Jimmy. Eat the loss and move onto (hopefully) better things. If we start now we might be able to make it into the playoffs next year and recoup some of that lost money.
The Niners I am sure would give a first round pick for either Devante or JJ. Though it most likely would be a very low number pick, say around number 31 or 32 so ther’s that.
Both players are worth a first round pick plus?
The clown is not capable of making a good decision. I say clean house and start from scratch. General Manager, coaching staff and the lot.
I’m glad someone is calling out the terrible job that this GM is doing. His first draft yielded all most nothing, and who knows how this year’s will turn out. His free agent signings are underwhelming. I knew when he failed to upgrade the OL that we were done for the season. The GM and HC, both, need to move on! They have set this team back further.
Get rid of Ziegler and McDaniels both have made the Raiders a laughing stock. Trading away the star players and getting draft picks won’t help much when you have these two here to screw them up. Also pack up Graham cause his defense setups has been a joke. If we lose to the Chicago Bears in three weeks clean out the coaching staff, right now the Bears have lost 14 in a row counting last year.
Sthey have Debo and McCaffrey. Why would they do that???
This GM has proven to lack the needed ability to make a good trade. Afterall, he got NOTHING for Carr, with the dumb no-trade contract he signed him to.
Raider Nation- look around the league and see what’s happening with other teams with less talent and more wins! Fans of this team are fighting a losing battle against losing management! Been a fan since Flores/ Laconia! These are not Raiders, they are McD,s girl scouts! Sell team to highest competent buyer or else all these comments are a waste and definitely falling on deaf ears!! Stabler,Plunkett M Allen and the rest of the winners are not coming thru those doors! Deal with it and wake up and smell the bad M Dais, Zeigler McD Coffee ??
Raider Nation- look around the league and see what’s happening with other teams with less talent and more wins! Fans of this team are fighting a losing battle against losing management! Been a fan since Flores/ Laconia! These are not Raiders, they are McD,s girl scouts! Sell team to highest competent buyer or else all these comments are a waste and definitely falling on deaf ears!! Stabler,Plunkett M Allen and the rest of the winners are not coming thru those doors! Deal with it and wake up and smell the bad M Dais, Zeigler McD Coffee ??