New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams has reportedly expressed openness to joining the San Francisco 49ers. Adams was traded to the Jets from the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2024 season. This year did not play out how Adams or New York envisioned as the team went just 5-12. Rumors have frequently swirled that the Jets and Adams will part ways this offseason.
Davante Adams Reportedly Open To Joining San Francisco 49ers
Adams is widely regarded as one of the best route-runners in the NFL. Pairing him with quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey would give the 49ers a lethal offense. Not to mention, Jauan Jennings had a breakout season at receiver as well. Adams’ ability at receiver combined with the skill group of the Niners would make this offense incredibly difficult to defend.
More Benefits
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is known for designing one of the most creative and efficient offenses in the NFL. Davante Adams’ precise route-running and versatility would make him a great fit in Shanahan’s system. Shanahan loves to use motion in his offense and this is something Adams utilized a lot in his best seasons. Adams’ best years mainly came with the Green Bay Packers. Scheme-wise, this could be a match made in heaven for Adams, Shanahan, and the Niners offense.
The 49ers are already one of the NFL’s top Super Bowl contenders. However, they have not gotten over the hump with Shanahan at the helm. The franchise has appeared in two of the last six Super Bowls but ultimately lost both to the Kansas City Chiefs. San Francisco might view bringing in Davante Adams as a move that moves the needle for them. With the Philadelphia Eagles fresh off of a dominant Super Bowl win, the 49ers will have to improve this offseason to compete with them. The NFC is full of other contenders as well such as the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions. If San Francisco can get to the Super Bowl again, they will still have their work cut out for them. Teams like the Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens await them coming out of the AFC.
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Potential Negatives of This Fit
Although Adams is still a great receiver in the league, he is aging, as are the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners could be looking to get much younger this offseason, and bringing in Adams would not service that agenda. With Christian McCaffrey pushing 30 and George Kittle already 31, the 49ers might think twice about adding a 32 year old on the outside.
Davante Adams also carries a big contract. Investing in him long-term could limit the 49ers’ ability to retain other key players down the line. The 49ers do have some cap space remaining however, Deebo Samuel would likely need to be traded to make this work, both on the field and financially.
Would the 49ers trade Deebo Samuel?
If San Francisco is serious about bringing in Adams, they will likely have to move Deebo Samuel to have room for him. Samuel has indicated that he would like a trade, and this would open up a spot on the outside for Adams. Moving off of Samuel’s contract would also create more cap room for Davante Adams. With Samuel coming off of a down year and Adams looking for a fresh start, this move makes sense for all parties.
Main Photo Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
