Raiders’ Antonio Pierce: ‘Business as usual’ after Davante Adams trade
After months of speculation, the Las Vegas Raiders and superstar wide receiver Davante Adams have officially parted ways, with head coach Antonio Pierce anxious to wipe the slate clean and move on, calling it “business as usual” for the storied franchise this week. Adams will start fresh with the New York Jets while the Raiders try to figure out how to get out of their funk via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.
“Next man up, move on,” Pierce said Wednesday, when asked the message he gave to his team. “He was out for the last [three] weeks, so we’re fine. … That’s how we’ve been really operating the last couple weeks.
“You never replace an All-Pro receiver like Davante. But at the end of the day, we’re not trying to. We’re trying to be the best versions of ourselves.”
The Jets and Raiders are two teams that haven’t been able to live up to expectations this season and are trying to get back on track with identical 2-4 records after the first six weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season. Adams admits it was time for a change vis ESPN.
“It’s been a roller coaster, for sure,” said Adams, who will make his Jets debut Sunday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. “It’s a weird thing to say that I’m happy, but, obviously, it was time for a change.
“This whole thing kind of transpired a little weird, but at the end of the day, we’re in a better place. I think that the Raiders are in a better place as well, and everybody can kind of move on.”
Only time will tell how this trade works out for both teams, but it seems clear these teams are anxious to put this fiasco behind them and get back to work on the gridiron, with hopes of making a run at the NFL playoffs.
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New York is arguably in a better position due to the talent on the team, but the season can go anywhere from here on out, as Las Vegas might be able to put its drama to the side and concentrate on stacking wins from here on out.