Davante Adams was once the highest-paid wide receiver in the league when he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. At current writing, Adams’ contract sits No. 8 in AAV (average annual value) — his $28 million AAV is sandwiched between Jaylen Waddle’s $28.25M and DJ Moore’s $27.5M.
Let’s examine his contract and his impact on the Jets’ salary cap.
Davante Adams’ Contract With the Jets
The Raiders traded Adams to the Jets on October 15, but Adams will not receive a new contract.
In Green Bay, the Packers had applied the franchise tag to Adams, essentially tying him into a one-year deal worth just over $20 million. The tag fully guaranteed that salary, but Adams had made it clear he would not play in 2022 on the franchise tag. When it was also reported that the two sides were not close, the Packers ultimately traded Adams to Las Vegas.
Immediately after the trade, Adams signed a five-year deal worth $141.25 million and $65+ million in guarantees.
2022: $3,500,000 base salary, $12,180,000 cap hit
2023: $6,030,000 base salary, $14,740,000 cap hit
2024: $16,890,000 base salary, $25,350,000 cap hit
2025: $35,640,000 base salary, $44,100,000 cap hit
2026: $35,640,000 base salary, $44,100,000 cap hit
Adams Has 2 Years Remaining on His Contract
Adams’ contract is due to run until 2026, and Adams would become a free agent in the 2027 NFL offseason. He had spent the first eight years of his career with the Packers before the trade to the Raiders, and now the Jets. During that time, he played under his rookie contract for the first three years. He then signed a four-year contract extension worth $58 million.
KEEP READING: Davante Adams’ Net Worth
In Green Bay, Adams reeled in 669 receptions from 1,012 targets, with 8,121 receiving yards and 73 receiving touchdowns. By the end of his time in Green Bay, Adams was widely considered the best receiver in the league. As a result, there’s no surprise he’s now paid accordingly.
During his time with the Raiders, Adams had 221 receptions for 2,869 yards and 23 touchdowns. He averaaged 12.63 yards per reception 2.5 seasons.
