Saints have no one else to blame but themselves for why they fell short in trading for Davante Adams

 

New Orleans was frequently mentioned as one of the most aggressive teams pursuing Davante Adams, but ultimately, the deal didn’t come together for the Saints due to various reasons.

According to Adam Schefter, the Raiders won’t be paying any of Adams’ remaining salary, with the New York Jets assuming all of it.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2024

This indicates that the Saints were never in a strong position to land the former All-Pro wide receiver, as they couldn’t have matched the Jets’ offer.

Reports have suggested over the past few weeks that Las Vegas was not interested in retaining any part of Adams’ salary and consistently sought a conditional second-round pick, which they received from the Jets.

New Orleans’ limited cap space also played a role in them not being able to offer the same deal. The Jets will owe Adams about $11.5 million for the remainder of the season.

For the Raiders, trading Adams became a necessity, and they managed to offload his salary, leaving them with a manageable dead cap hit of $13.67 million this year and $15.7 million in 2025, according to Spotrac. The move creates significant cap savings for a player who would have had a $44.1 million cap hit next season.

The Saints, on the other hand, have just over $2.5 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap, while the Jets had about $5.5 million available after the Adams trade, making it easier for them to absorb his contract.

New Orleans has been restructuring deals and making creative moves to manage cap space for years, but these decisions have left them unable to compete for top-tier talent in situations like this.

Adding to their struggles, the Saints have lost four consecutive games, and their offense has been inconsistent due to injuries along the offensive line and at skill positions.

Even if the Saints had secured Adams, it’s doubtful he would have been eager to join a team currently underperforming under head coach Dennis Allen.

The offensive line is particularly battered, with key players like Cesar Ruiz, Erik McCoy, and Lucas Patrick all dealing with injuries. The tackles have been the most reliable part of the line, but their struggles have contributed to quarterback Derek Carr’s oblique injury, keeping him sidelined for at least two more games.

Carr was a potential draw for Adams in New Orleans, but with him out, reuniting with Aaron Rodgers on the Jets made more sense for the wide receiver.