Davante Adams, Saquon Barkley Top Landing Spots in 2024 After NFL Trade Deadline
Neither Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams nor New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley was moved ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, but both could feasibly be headed for a change of scenery in 2024.
Although Adams is under contract through 2026, he and the Raiders might benefit from a breakup. The six-time Pro Bowler looks increasingly exasperated amid a 3-5 start, and his departure could net Las Vegas the kind of draft assets to fuel a quick rebuild.
Barkley, meanwhile, is due to be a free agent. However, his amended one-year pact with the Giants reportedly didn't include language precluding them from utilizing the franchise tag for the second straight offseason.
Here's a look at where the pair might fit next year.
Davante Adams
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From a neutral perspective, the Kansas City Chiefs would be the most entertaining place for Adams to wind up.
The Chiefs have yet to find a true successor to Tyreek Hill, and while their approach to the receiver position didn't preclude them from winning a Super Bowl in 2022, it's undoubtedly making Patrick Mahomes' life difficult.
If Kansas City wasn't willing to pay Hill top dollar, though, then it's hard to see why the front office would sign on to assume Adams' deal when he's just as expensive and a year older.
The Baltimore Ravens might be much more amenable.
Zay Flowers is performing well in his rookie season with 44 catches for 461 yards and one touchdown through eight games. Beyond him, Baltimore's receiving corps could use some help. Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor aren't making strong cases to be retained, and if a breakout for Rashod Bateman hasn't happened by now, it's probably never going to.
The Detroit Lions may want to be aggressive in the offseason, too, depending on how the rest of this year unfolds. Adams and Amon-Ra St. Brown would be a devastating pass-catching tandem.
Given the Lions' history, a big win-now move is totally justified because a competitive window can't be taken for granted.
The Cincinnati Bengals could be a bit of a dark horse in this conversation for the same reason.
Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are both hitting free agency, and Cincinnati has a lot of salary cap space to work with. Adams' contract is structured so that the Bengals could move on in 2025, when it will be time to pay Ja'Marr Chase.
Saquon Barkley
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Maybe the bridge between Barkley and the Giants is burned completely after their protracted negotiations this season, but New York could certainly use him in the backfield in 2024.
The two-time Pro Bowler has run for 412 yards and a touchdown along with catching 19 passes for 87 yards and two scores. With Daniel Jones regressing in a big way, the Giants are leaning on him more than ever. His 22 carries per game are on pace to be a career high.
Applying the franchise tag to Barkley would lock in his salary at $12.1 million. While somewhat high in the present running back market, that's not a prohibitively costly number.
Removing a Giants reunion from the equation, the Ravens will have a clear need to address the ground game. J.K. Dobbins will be a free agent coming off a major Achilles injury. Even if Baltimore sees a future for him, he can't be positioned as the No. 1 option in the rushing attack.
Maybe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren't ready to cut bait on 2022 third-round pick Rachaad White, but he's averaging 3.6 yards per carry through his first season and a half. Barkley would be a big upgrade if the Bucs want to take a step forward in 2024.
Ultimately, it's hard to see him anywhere but New York.
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