NY Jets officially release Davante Adams after failing to find a trade partner

The NY Jets reportedly gave star wide receiver Davante Adams permission to seek a trade on Sunday. Two days later, after failing to find a trade partner, Adams has been released.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed on Tuesday that the Jets have now officially parted ways with Adams after just 11 games with the team. The Jets initially acquired Adams in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, sending a conditional third-round pick in return.

Adams finished the season with 85 catches for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns, with most of that production coming alongside longtime teammate Aaron Rodgers on the Jets. Unfortunately, with Rodgers gone, Adams was always a goner.

The Jets will save close to $30 million in cap space by releasing Adams, who had no guaranteed money remaining on his contract. The move was a no-brainer for both sides after Rodgers' departure was confirmed.

The NY Jets end the Davante Adams era in predictable fashion

Expectations were high for Adams and the Jets when the team acquired him in October. The hope was that the Adams trade could turn around the fortunes of a franchise that had just a week prior fired head coach Robert Saleh following a disappointing 2-3 start to the season.

While Adams had his moments with the Jets and proved he could still play at a high level, the team around him continued to crumble. The Jets would finish the year 5-12 and spent much of the season in contention for the No. 1 overall pick instead of a playoff spot.

The Jets intentionally left the final two years of Adams' contract untouched as part of the initial trade. That was done to allow future flexibility for both sides if things went south in year one. That's exactly what happened.

Adams was set to carry a cap hit of over $30 million into 2025, a number the Jets were never going to keep him around at. The understanding was that the two sides would either re-work his contract or that he would be looking for a new team in the offseason.

With Rodgers gone and the Jets set for a mini-rebuild, Adams never had any intention of staying in Florham Park. The Jets had no choice but to release him after predictably failing to find a trade partner.

The Jets will now turn their attention to the 2025 offseason, where they will be tasked with revamping a wide receiver room set to lose Adams and likely Allen Lazard. Adams will look to catch on with a new team, possibly alongside Rodgers, while hopefully competing for a championship.

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