The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a (very) similar spot to the New England Patriots — six years ago — which former head coach and eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick explained from first-hand experience.
Davante Adams, who hasn’t made an appearance since Week 3, wants out of Las Vegas. The New York Jets and New Orleans Saints reportedly lead the forefront of trade rumors so far. When analyzing the situation from afar, Belichick drew a parallel to the 2018 season when New England parted ways with then-backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — the Patriots traded Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers.
“With a player like Garoppolo, who we were gonna lose in free agency, to be able to trade him to the 49ers for a second-round pick was better than letting him go to free agency and getting a comp third pick a year later,” Belichick told ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday. “That’s kind of the thing that you’re thinking about.”
At the time, New England had no reason to keep Garoppolo aboard. Tom Brady showed no signs of regression, the franchise’s championship window remained open as ever and Garoppolo’s fill-in appearances during Brady’s four-game suspension — for the Deflategate scandal — showed promising signs of the 2014 second-rounders ability to fulfill a starting role elsewhere. The trade was a win-win situation for all parties involved. Brady led New England to the promised land, again, in Super Bowl LII the following season while Garoppolo reached the Super Bowl with San Francisco in 2020.
Unlike the midway-through-their-dynasty Patriots of the past, the Raiders of today aren’t within reach of contention five games into 2024. Las Vegas sits at the bottom of the AFC West at 2-3 and doesn’t have too much leeway considering Adams’ contract — he’s set to earn $6 million this season and over $70 the next two years. Coupled with the presumed asking price of a second-round pick, Belichick previously noted that he doesn’t envision the Raiders having an easy time finding a trade suitor.
“I don’t see how anybody’s gonna give up a second-round pick for him,” Belichick said Wednesday, per Underdog Fantasy. “You’d have to feel like Adams is gonna take us to the promised land and he’s gonna get us over the hump this year because he’s also got a big salary.”
