The trade that seemed inevitable for months finally happened Tuesday, when the Las Vegas Raiders sent star wide receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets for a conditional 2025 third-round draft pick.

The Raiders get a draft pick to help with their rebuild, and the Jets get another win-now player they hope can change the course of their season. In the span of seven days, the Jets fired coach Robert Saleh and made this blockbuster trade, which could help quarterback Aaron Rodgers and spark their inconsistent offense.

From 2014 to 2021, Rodgers and Adams combined for 615 receptions, 7,529 yards and 68 touchdowns. They were the NFL’s second-most productive tandem during that span, behind only Matt Ryan and Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons.

The Jets will pick up Adams’ remaining salary this season: $11.59 million, a significant investment for owner Woody Johnson. Adams is signed through 2026, but his salary in 2025 and 2026 ($36.25 million) is not guaranteed. Unless they renegotiate the deal, it’s essentially a one-year contract. — Rich Cimini

Are the Jets in panic mode with two shocking moves in two weeks?

Maybe there’s a fine line between going all in and panicking? The Jets and Johnson have made it abundantly clear that they expect to win in 2024. The past two losses, one-score defeats to the first-place Vikings and Bills, are proof that they are not far off. The Jets are 2-4 with 11 games remaining in a division that appears winnable. The fact that their future Hall of Fame quarterback is getting another elite playmaker with whom he has proven chemistry speaks of urgency rather than panic. The Jets know the makeup of the 2025 team could be different, but Saleh and Adams’ moves were made with only 2024 in mind. This is an organization that feels like there is no choice but to go for it. –Jeremy Fowler

How does Adams fit into the Jets’ offense?

It’s difficult to integrate a new receiver into an offense during the season, but this isn’t your typical situation due to the previous chemistry between Adams and Rodgers. They were once magical together. They shared that rare telepathy that wide receivers and quarterbacks have. They may not be able to recapture it with the flip of a switch, but it shouldn’t take that long. Their background is why this could actually work. The script will be interesting. Adams knows offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett from their time together in Green Bay (2020-2021), but Hackett – demoted last week – is no longer in charge. They still use his system, but it wasn’t his system in Green Bay; it belonged to Matt LaFleur. This will require some adjustment for Adams. — Cimini

What does this mean for Jets current No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson?

Just when Wilson finally develops something good with Rodgers… boom! He is no longer the WR1. The Jets will say they now have two No. 1 receivers, but let’s be realistic: Wilson, who had 21 catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns over the past two games, will no longer be The Guy. He can be the Co-Guy. You have to wonder how this will affect the chemistry of the receiving room and the entire team for that matter. For starters, it looks like Mike Williams will be the odd man out. Wilson, Adams and Allen Lazard (another Rodgers guy from Green Bay) will be the starting three. How will they react if it becomes a Rodgers-Adams show? Last week, Wilson said it would be “cool” to acquire Adams; he indicated that he would be in favor of anything that helps them win games. But receivers love targets, and Adams’ arrival will have an impact on Wilson’s target share. — Cimini

How much does adding Adams help the Jets’ playoff chances?

There’s no doubt adding Adams will help. ESPN’s Football Power Index has the Jets at 46% to reach the playoffs, as of Tuesday morning. That’s 16th in the NFL and eighth in the AFC. That model doesn’t update with non-QB roster changes, but we can see that the Jets’ playoff betting odds at ESPN BET have increased from +155 to +145 — or about 1.5 percentage points.

I look at it myself, it feels light. Adams is worth more to the Jets than anyone else because he has instant chemistry with Rodgers. And despite being 2-4, this team still has a great defense, now it has three great offensive playmakers (Adams, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall) and Rodgers under center. I think it increases the Jets’ playoff chances more than what the odds currently reflect. –Seth Walder

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The Raiders now have three Day 2 picks in next year’s draft to go with their first-round pick. Where do they need to upgrade the most?

The Raiders now have eight draft picks in 2025, and they could get into double figures with a few compensatory picks. With the inconsistent play of both Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew, this franchise has a huge hole under center and needs to address it before the 2025 season. Las Vegas was missing quarterbacks in 2024, with six on the clock before ranking at No. 13. Expect the Raiders to draft a passer early in Round 1 in April.

It’s considered a lower QB class, and I only have two signal callers with first-round grades: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward (Georgia’s Carson Beck is also in the mix). Both would be worthy of a top-10 selection — Sanders is super accurate and Ward has incredible arm talent — but the Raiders may have to move up for their guy to avoid missing out again. That’s where the extra Day 2 pick comes in, giving them an extra asset to maneuver for their QB of the future. Also, look to Vegas to look at the offensive tackles and receivers in this class in rounds 2-3. –Jordan Reid

Does this move put the Raiders in rebuilding mode?

Not necessarily. Three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby is still on the roster and coach Antonio Pierce still wants to win games. The Raiders’ receiving room, however, has a new vibe: younger and faster, albeit significantly less good.

Jakobi Meyers is the new WR1, and he’s already played the role a bit in New England before signing with Las Vegas. Tre Tucker and DJ Turner are both deep threats and threats in the running game.

One sign that the Raiders could be completely rebuilt is the move to second-year QB Aidan O’Connell. Closing or trading Crosby would also be significant. Remember, the Raiders were essentially in Jayden Daniels-or-bust mode last spring when they entered the draft, and if the Raiders could have pulled off a huge trade to move up and get the eventual No. 2 pick get it, things might be different .

Instead, Adams had two coaches, three GMs, three offensive playcallers and six QBs in his Raiders tenure.

And now that first-year GM Tom Telesco’s job security isn’t really in question, he might just have the resources from owner Mark Davis to completely rebuild things. –Paul Gutierrez

Should fantasy managers try to trade for Davante Adams, Aaron Rodgers or someone else as soon as possible?

Hey, good for the Jets, I guess, but it’s hard to see how this trade suddenly solves all the problems. Fantasy managers should think the same way. Rodgers was a top-five fantasy QB in 2021 (and in the eight seasons before that), but he hasn’t played well since. Adding Adams wouldn’t hurt, but it assumes Allen Lazard or Mike Williams were holding him back statistically. The Jets still have two very relevant young running backs, so don’t expect them to abandon that part of the offense. Rodgers moved up several spots in my end-of-season rankings, but not into the top 15 at the deep position. He is averaging 14.3 PPR points per game, 23rd among QBs. He won’t suddenly average 20 PPG. Adams should fulfill the expected obligations of a WR2 option, but teammate Garrett Wilson is more valuable. The Jets’ offense is better today, but these aren’t the Packers versions of Rodgers and Adams, so keep expectations in check. –Eric Karabell