Tashan Reed, Vic Tafur and Amos Morale
Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams likely will not play in his team’s Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers as he continues to rehab a hamstring injury.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce provided an update on the status of the six-time Pro Bowler’s recovery Wednesday.
“The update is that Davante is doing well, the hamstring is getting there and he’s getting closer and closer to getting back on the practice field,” Pierce said. “He is in good spirits. We talked … so everything’s good. … He is still a Raider. He has never not been a Raider. When he’s healthy and can play, we’ll play him.”
The injury has kept Adams off the field since Week 3. Since then, trade discussions involving the three-time All-Pro have ramped up with the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills and Steelers monitoring the situation. The Raiders have already paid Adams for this week, so his base salary is down to about $11.59 million. Any team that trades for him would be responsible for paying that amount over the course of the rest of the season.
The trade talks, along with cryptic messages posted by Adams, and Pierce liking a social media post that suggested Adams’ tenure as a Raider was over, have caused speculation that Adams had essentially played his last snaps with the Raiders.
He still, however, would need to get healthy before taking the field for any team.
“He’s working every day to get that hamstring right and he’s in the right headspace mentally,” Pierce said. “Like I said, we talked recently, had a good conversation and he’s ready to play football.”
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Adams suffered the injury in practice on Sept. 26. While he requested a trade on Sept. 30, Pierce said he’s been at team headquarters rehabbing his hamstring. Adams is expected to miss his third straight game this week, but he could potentially be cleared for a return to action next week.
The Raiders face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7.
If Adams is still with Las Vegas when he’s ready to return, he’d do so with a new quarterback. Pierce announced Wednesday that Aidan O’Connell was replacing Gardner Minshew as the team’s starting quarterback.
(Photo: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images)
