the Colts to another one of the examples of good player leaving
the NFC
Landing in the AFC, making the AFC, a gauntlet for whichever
team manages to run it in. The 2022 season. Here's Davante
Adams being introduced as a member of the Raiders, a team
that he is wanted to play for apparently for most if not all
of his
life.
Yeah, I grew up in East Palo Alto. So being built a Raiders
fan, my whole life. So it is a dream to be a writer man. So
it's a it's a
dream come true
in the third grade yearbook. I said, I wanted to be a, you
know,
NFL star or NBA star
and I was wearing a
Charles Woodson jersey at the time. So
it's been documented forever. So, you know, I guess you could
say. It's meant to be.
Yeah, it's great when stories like that happen because they
they they aren't
Set up for these things to happen. The NFL isn't created
and you know where I'm going with this.
You don't when you come out of college. You don't get to say.
I'm going to play for the Raiders, you go, wherever you
get drafted, and I'm sure
it was quite the rude. Awakening for Davante, Adams
growing up in California. Terry iterators fan, right to get to
get, drafted by the Green Bay Packers. Fortunately, they had
another California kid who had been drafted by the Packers at
quarterback to make it a little bit easier, but that's that's
the nature of it and Eight years later.
We see Davante, Adams,
finally, getting a chance to play with the Raiders. He
really does. I go back to 2017 after that season ended and he
signed the contract with the Packers. Now, he had never
gotten a big money deal before, maybe that's why he did it. But
if he was at hell-bent on playing for the Raiders,
I don't know why he didn't make a bigger effort to get to
the Raiders after the 2017 season that that really
surprises me. Well, maybe he just looked at the Raiders of
that point and saw. Well, I don't know what the hell
they're going to be there.
I still got Aaron, Rodgers and Green Bay. It was really hard
Jon Gruden.
Maybe
that maybe he did, maybe so I don't want to deal with that.
So I'll stay where I am here. Right now.
I'm happy for Davante Adams. You said it's great story
Davante Adams. I mean, no, I'm looked at as a little bit as
the Davante, Adams hater, the world. I understand that.
But I root for the guy and I think he's the ultimate
professional and he's an awesome football player. And
I think he's an awesome person.
I mean, he really always says the right things.
He's got some wittiness about him.
He's going to fit right in. In there with Josh McDaniels, and
of course, Derek Carr. And to mean where it's also another
great
combination or marriage. However, you want to say it is
Adams as unique.
As far as he, he can be a system guy where he can really
run
certain routes that maybe sometimes the number-one
receiver can't run or isn't as good at as somebody else on
the roster. But like we talked about a little on Monday, Mike
he can do the Julian Edelman.
Wes Welker, very intricate route running. You got to
understand the coverage has a lot of fine points. Here. The
Josh, McDaniels is going to teach you
according to what coverage it is
and how he wants you to run that route.
So he's going to be able to do that. Where those are the plays
McDaniels is genius at, I'm gonna draw something up, screw
you over, get your mismatched on the middle linebacker and
you're going to run some cool route and
we're going to get you 100 Balls. 120 football. Is that way.
Let alone he's the A guy that you also can just go. Hey,
we're one-on-one outside and we expect you to beat that guy.
That's where it's really cool. This will be the best system.
Davante Adams has ever been in and he's going to go. Whoa.
I didn't realize this is what's going on in New England
and how they were getting some of these guys open
and we used to do this route, but it wasn't taught this way.
I didn't realize that and that's where I think it's got
a chance to be really damn good for the Raiders and Derek, Carr
and Company there with that combination.
Well, that's the other side of this to. Not only do you have
an offense that Davante Adams can Master? He's got
the relationship with Derek Carr. From time at Fresno State. You
dust it off. You get back to that point where you share
a brain. You
understand what each other
is doing and what you want. And that's one of the keys to
mastering quarterback receiver connection. That's another
thing that Adams talked about yesterday, specifically as it
relates to his discussions, with Derek Carr about getting
this trade done, after being franchise tag by the pack.
Hers
finagling a deal to the Raiders. Here's Adams on that
point.
After the season obviously is something that we didn't even
entertained during the season because we both had to focus on
trying to win a Super Bowl. Obviously. That was
a number one. But once the, once we wrapped up the season,
you know started communicating a little bit
still didn't really fully dive into it because we kind of
wanted to decompress from the season, allow each other to,
you know, put our thinking caps on a little bit and see where
we were and then you know as things progressed a little bit
more. Obviously we communicate,
you know, multiple times a week as it is, you know aside from
On a team up. So
once we got to a point where
it was, it was something that could be realistic. Now, it's
not just a, you know, I thought
we started trying to put a little bit of a plan together,
something that we were definitely looking forward to
potentially doing down the road.
But obviously me playing a Green Bay, great situation
having, you know, greatest quarterback to play the game,
you know,
that's
that's that's a dream in itself. So
I'll never take anything away from, you know, anything Green
Bay. Gave me or you. No, Aaron gave me it was it was
an amazing opportunity to work over there and do what I did
for almost a decade.
But you know, things change, sometimes it's not the first
time that, you know, impactful player to organization had to
leave,
you know, and you know, I feel like it worked out for both
sides of the family.
There was plenty of speculation last week about what Aaron
Rodgers knew and when he knew it about the looming departure
of Davante Adams. I wonder if Aaron Rodgers knew that Adams
had been working and communicating so extensively in
closely with Derek Carr after the season ended
to lay the foundation for this and you'll wonder how much from
Adam standpoint and look the decisions. We make are
the result of a stew of factors and they all get put into
the blender. And I'm
Mix all my food metaphors here, but the bottom line is,
there isn't any one thing
that causes you to make a decision, but there's always one thing
that is the Catalyst. Yeah, whatever. It may be. Sometimes
it's something stupid. Sometimes, it's some perceived
indignity.
Sometimes, it's it's something fundamental. And you gotta
Wonder at what level Davante Adams decided screw it. I'm
going to pursue this trade to the Raiders because for
example,
I got a quarterback here. I don't know how much longer he's
going to be hacked. Lee talking about leaving talking about,
I don't know what the hell he's going to do. Right? I've been
living under that cloud for a
couple of years now.
I know Derek car's not going anywhere with the Raiders
and I've wanted to play for the Raiders, all my life,
you know this uncertainty with are and
that's enough. That's enough to get me to say that's enough.
Yeah,
I'm with you my I got to imagine that was the deal breaker or
you know, the okay. Everything's tied. I don't know
what to do. Oh, that's the tie breaker right there. Damn.
I you know, man.
Hard decision. Raiders Packers. Whoa, they both got positives,
but that aspect right there.
I would think would be the thing that that drives at home.
Yeah, we know the, you know, generators dream
and we talked about he lives in Vegas in the offseason.
We had talked about earlier in the week. I had I had heard,
you know that conversations with him and car had gotten,
you know a little bit of aggressive after the season was
over them talking about it. You know,
it's interesting
it really is but I would think yes if you're Davante Adams you
Sitting there going. Wait,
I could go to a place
with a guy. I know who's really damn good.
And as
by all accounts, the organization seems all in on
this guy. So he's not going anywhere here to let me do that
or do I stay and go?
I don't know. We could, we could go to the Super Bowl lose
this year or when or whatever and Rogers can walk away and be
done and then I'm in, you know, quarterback limbo.
I don't know what the hell happens, and it changes his
career path and trajectory and And everything, you know, is
his Hall of Fame status. All of those things are affected by
Aaron Rodgers situation, in Green Bay. So, he went to
the place where he felt like was, you know,
a safer bet for sure. And a guy that he's got relationship with
and, you know, Mike, I don't know, I'll pose this to you
too.
I feel like I hope it does,
it doesn't have to go that. I hope this makes people. The
look at Derek Carr, a little bit in a different way to go,
you know, maybe,
you know, maybe he's a little bit dorky.
E or whatever you want to say about the guy.
But the one thing you always hear is positive reviews from
all coaches, all players again, and then here's a guy that's
a star in another team that thinks he's cool enough to stay
in contact with them and want
to play with him,
you know, so I think there's more to Derek Carr than maybe
meets the eye at times and maybe people realize that
a little bit now with Davante Adams there.
He's more than just two periodic spontaneous fake
country accent. Is that what you're saying? Yeah, I think we
know the one thing I'll say about Derek Carr. I've been
around him a few times. You know, the twang is in there
naturally. Anyways,
it does seem to break out a little stronger at times or
whatever reason, which we joke about and have fun. But but he
owns what he is. That's what I like about Derek Carr.
He knows he's kind of a dork and nerd with some things. He
does. He doesn't care. He laughs at all. That's just what
he is. And to me.
Me that's where you know
you can have guys in a locker room where
all right, we don't always see eye-to-eye. We don't hang out
all the time. But if the guy kind of keeps it real and is
consistent with who he is. Everybody can get along and be
cool that way.
What's the when the guy is fake and a, you know, a BS or at all
that? That's when you're not liked in the locker room and
I think Derek Carr, you know, knows who he is, owns it
and I think team teammates respect that.
I think the criticism had been
that he came off.
During the press conference and interview sessions. Yes, as
a guy, who says what he thinks. A franchise quarterback should be
saying I hear you there. We, what? He believes. It's an act
for the world. But whatever, he's doing when he's
communicating with his teammates
and working with his teammates. It works. Yeah. Set aside set
aside whether or not there's any contrived reality to how he
communicates, and maybe it isn't. Maybe it's who he is.
Maybe he really is.
Just that way and comes out. And is that way, maybe what we
see isn't a facade, maybe it really is who he is. And, you
know, a couple of points that that came to mind while we were
discussing this. Yeah. First.
And and people are going to be wondering
if it's permissible for Derek Carr
quarterback of the Raiders to be working. So closely with
a player who is under contract with another team. It's not
tampering as long as he's not doing it with the knowledge of
or at the behest of the organization.
Good luck proving
if he was, but he's
perfectly allowed to for his own reasons. Try to recruit
tamper Etc
with a player from another team. It's only. When
if Mark Davis says, hey Derek, you know,
yeah, right, right. Yeah, you know, here's what we're going
to do. Yeah, and you're never going to prove that you're
never going to put. This sounds like it might be the opposite
crosses. The line.
Do you think it was the opposite here?
Do you think this is one? I you know, when I heard Davante
Adams, say that I thought man, I do Wonder did Derek Carr go
to the front office a little bit or,
or Josh, McDaniels and Company and go. Hey,
I've been talking Davante Adams. He wants to come here.
I mean, can we make it happen? I mean, I almost get the sense.
That's might maybe how this went down or there was
something like that.
But yeah. Good for you to bring that up. You're right. Because
I do find that that's permits permissible as long as it is
not initiated or prompt that are encouraged or done with
the knowledge of the organization, but it shows that they're
keeping cars.
Was my first take away when it happened. They're putting these
two guys together. Not to rip. One of them away. Car is gonna
be there as long as Adams. Is there. The other thing too.
Yes, is this? Because because we focused on
this love triangle, which is just fascinating. Derek Carr
Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams caught in the middle between
the two and Derek Carr. Somehow becomes the unlikely winner,
right? He's the he's the George McFly that that gets the girl
away from Biff.
So
I'll ask you this. Is it indeed. Is it an
Right moment, easy for him to say of Jordan love that Adams.
You know, number one. I don't know how long Aaron Rodgers
going to be here and number two. Oh God,
once he goes, it's Jordan love. Do you think there's a subtle
backhanded? Indictment of Jordan, loving Davante, Adams,
choosing to get out of Green Bay subtle subtle. I don't
think it's just the unknown.
I would think that's what it is. It's not necessarily been
with him for two years. I know, gonna practice with him for too
bright and known any. Well, he's probably unknown and
going, I do. No, of this guy can be anything. You know,
I see some things here and there where I go you but I'm not
sure.
I'm not sure. And I'm sure about this other guy over here.
Who seems to be a robot in the machine now and almost plays,
you know, damn good football on a every week basis. I mean,
that's what Derek Cars become again. Like we talked about it.
It's not Superstar, but it's top tennis and football and it
is like
very few times where we coming wearing a wolf
there. Derek are just didn't play good enough today. That's
why the Raiders lost its Not, you know, Raiders lose games.
We just go up and they couldn't run the ball defense isn't any
good
very rarely. Do. We look at Derek Carr anymore?
I think the Giants game in New York. This year is the only
game I remember specifically gone. Derek are lost that game.
He threw some dumb interceptions and the second
half of the football game that cost them
and that was that.
So so I would get their guests there. Some of that to one
other thing to Mike that I thought was interesting,
you know, with that with Davante Adams. Last quote.
Alright, so we yeah, I think A little bit of a subtle subtle
jab on Jordan love or that situation itself,
but he says, you know, the think it was a win-win. Do you
really think it was a win-win for both teams? I mean, right?
No.
No, it's not a win-win. Yeah.
No, it hurt the Tigers. It's big time.
It's a win for him, in a win for the Raiders, but it's not
a win for the pack. Right. Agreed. Right? I mean that's a,
that was a huge blow.
I mean, it
changes your thought of the football team completely. And
again, I know,
Going to be able to get it done. They got Aaron Rodgers,
they'll still be a pain in the butt. But wow, I mean
to lose the best player on your team not named Aaron Rodgers
and that connection that is so
you know dangerous and effective for them
that to me is where I look at it. Got I don't know how they
replace that. They don't got the guy on the roster and
damn. They don't even got the same receiving Corps as last year.
Randall Cobb going to be a year. Older
mvs is still a free agent, right? Unless I missed
something here in the last few days. A free agent, please.
Don't free agent. They're going to ride and die with Allen
Lazard and Company and I just go. Whoa. I mean that is
a different different thought.