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Aaron Rodgers and NY Jets need Davante Adams to get to the Super Bowl

Aaron Rodgers and NY Jets need Davante Adams to get to the Super Bowl

The NY Jets offense is not very good. It's not quite as disastrous as last season, as one would expect given the increase in talent at quarterback, offensive line and skill positions. But that doesn't mean it isn't a problem.

Davante Adams wouldn't solve the Jets' offensive problems. There is no quick fix for an overwhelmed offensive coaching staff leading an error-prone and inconsistent offensive unit. But Adams would certainly help.

The Jets remain the favorites to land the All-Pro wide receiver in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. Trade talks are expected to intensify this week. According to reports, an agreement could be reached as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.

Adams appears to favor the Jets as a landing spot. While the Jets weren't the most aggressive team in Adams' market, they are definitely interested. And why shouldn't they be?

Even as he nears his 32nd year, Adams remains one of the NFL's best wide receivers. He has 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 give him 102 catches and over 1,200 yards in a full 17-game season. Adams may no longer be a top-five wide receiver, but he's still a borderline top-10 player at his position.

Not necessarily the Jets need another playmaker, at least on paper. A skill position group consisting of Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Allen Lazard, Breece Hall, Braelon Allen and Tyler Conklin should be good enough to launch a good offensive. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

This is largely due to the ineptitude of the Jets' offensive coaching staff, but Rodgers' inability to see eye-to-eye with many of his receivers has also contributed.

Despite Wilson's breakout performance of 13 catches in Week 5, the chemistry between him and Rodgers is still a work in progress. The Jets forced Wilson into a whopping 22 rushing yards — the most by any NFL player since 2015 — and he still only managed 101 yards.

With the game on the line late in the fourth quarter, Rodgers attempted a 50/50 throw to Williams. Williams wasn't on the same page as Rodgers, resulting in an interception that ultimately sealed another Jets loss.

The only wide receiver who has chemistry with Rodgers is his old friend Allen Lazard. While Lazard's performance took an upswing with Rodgers at quarterback, his inconsistencies continue to plague the Jets' offense.

Lazard leads all players with six drops over five weeks. His 23.1% drop rate is the worst in the NFL and 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 another ball bounced 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 this.

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

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

But he significantly raises both the ceiling and floor of a Jets offense that has struggled through five weeks of inconsistency. And if the Jets want a chance to not only make the playoffs but also have some serious success in the postseason, this is a move they may have to make.

The Jets shouldn't need Davante Adams to compete this year, but the reality is they probably do. Sunday's loss to the Vikings was just proof of that.

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