NFL Trade Rumors: Star Receiver’s Loyalty to Young QB Could Hinder Saints Acquisition

After all of the talk, Davante Adams could just end up staying put in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) celebrates his touch down with quarterback Derek Carr (4) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Nfl Las Vegas Raiders At Tennessee Titans / Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Davante Adams might not be leaving Las Vegas after it's all said and done, as first reported by Sportskeeda's Tony Pauline on Saturday morning. The Saints have been heavily linked to the star wide receiver in trade talks, but it might be all for naught because of Aidan O'Connell.

Several sources close to the situation told me if the Raiders can turn the corner with O'Connell under center, Adams may lobby to stay in Las Vegas. The second-year passer is slated to start this weekend when the Steelers travel to Vegas for a date with the Raiders.

Though that may raise some eyerbrows, it shouldn't. Going back to last season, I reported the fondness Adams had for O'Connell, then a rookie fourth-round pick out of Purdue, referring to the quarterback as "my dawg". As I mentioned last November, teammates are impressed with O'Connell's work ethic, toughness and confidence.

ESPN's Adam Schefter later confirmed what Pauline reported. It's said to be a fluid situation and Adams could still be traded before the deadline, but Las Vegas seems to be playing a little hardball too. New Orleans lost Derek Carr to an oblique strain that will sideline him for multiple games, but that wasn't going to hinder the Saints from acquiring him. The same was said about the Jets despite them firing head coach Robert Saleh.

We'll see how this all plays out, because we're still a relatively long way away from the NFL's trade deadline of Tuesday, Nov. 5.