Aaron Rodgers and the NY Jets need Davante Adams to make a Super Bowl run

The NY Jets' offense is not very good. It's not quite as abysmal as it was last season, as you'd expect given the uptick in talent at quarterback, the offensive line, and the skill positions. But that doesn't mean it's not a problem.

Davante Adams wouldn't solve the Jets' offensive woes. There is no quick fix to an overmatched offensive coaching staff leading a mistake-prone and inconsistent offensive unit. But Adams sure would help.

The Jets remain the odds-on favorites to land the All-Pro wide receiver in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. Trade talks are expected to ramp up this week, with reports suggesting a deal could get done as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.

Adams seems to prefer the Jets as a landing spot. While the Jets haven't been the most aggressive team in Adams' market, they certainly are interested. And why shouldn't they be?

The NY Jets need Davante Adams after their Week 5 letdown

Even as he approaches the age of 32, Adams remains one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He's hauled in 18 catches for 209 yards and a touchdown in just three games this season despite playing with a quarterback who was just benched for poor performance.

That would put him on pace for 102 catches and over 1,200 yards in a full 17-game season. Adams may not be a top-five wide receiver anymore, but he's still a borderline top-10 player at his position.

The Jets don't necessarily need another playmaker, at least on paper. A skill position group of Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Allen Lazard, Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Tyler Conklin should be good enough to field a good offense. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case.

That's largely due to the ineptitude of the Jets' offensive coaching staff, but Rodgers' inability to get on the same page with many of his receivers has contributed to that as well.

Despite Wilson's 13-catch breakout performance in Week 5, the chemistry between him and Rodgers is still a work in progress. The Jets force-fed Wilson a whopping 22 targets — the most by any NFL player since 2015 — and he still managed just 101 yards.

Rodgers tried a 50/50 back-shoulder throw to Williams with the game on the line late in the fourth quarter. Williams wasn't on the same page with Rodgers, leading to an interception that ultimately sealed another Jets loss.

The only wide receiver who does have established chemistry with Rodgers is his old friend Allen Lazard. While Lazard's production has seen an uptick with Rodgers as his quarterback, his inconsistencies continue to plague the Jets offense.

Lazard leads all players with six drops through five weeks. His 23.1% drop rate is the worst in the NFL and actually even higher than his 17.9% drop rate which led all players in 2023. This is the second year in a row that Lazard has had the worst drop rate in football.

Lazard was credited with three drops in Week 5 and had another ball bounce off his hands for what would have been a huge touchdown in the third quarter. The Jets ultimately settled for a field goal and lost the game by six points.

Adams doesn't fix everything, but he fixes that.

The longtime Packers wideout would ideally replace Lazard in the offense and give Rodgers a receiver who he can not only trust but who can also be a reliable No. 1 option. He fills the "Rodgers chemistry" role better than Lazard ever could.

Does Adams solve the Jets' offensive woes? Of course not. He can't make Nathaniel Hackett a competent offensive coordinator. He can't implement a modern NFL offense. He also can't fix the Jets' miscommunication issues on the offensive line.

But he does significantly raise both the ceiling and the floor of a Jets' offense that has battled inconsistencies through five weeks. And if the Jets want any chance of not only reaching the playoffs but making a deep postseason run, this is a move they might need to make.

The Jets shouldn't need Davante Adams to compete this year, but the reality of the situation is that they probably do. Sunday's loss to the Vikings only served to prove that point.

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