The Bucs have one of the most talented receiver duos in the NFL with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

Trading for Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, however, would turn that duo into the most lethal trio in the league since Antonio Brown signed with Tampa Bay in 2020. Adams, the six-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, has recently come up in the news as likely to be shipped out of Las Vegas.

Recently he stated on the Up and Adams Show that he has not communicated with the team since head coach Antonio Pierce liked an Instagram post suggesting he may no longer suit up with them.

“All I can control is this talk we’re having right here and after we’re done with this all I can control is the next thing that I’m on to,” Davante Adams told Kay Adams.

With Adams on the trade block, the 31-year-old has already expressed interest in playing with the Jets and Saints, as he is quite familiar with each of the team’s quarterbacks. He famously paired with four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers on the Packers and Derek Carr at both Fresno State and the Raiders.

If he chooses to go to a new team, could the Bucs be on the radar as a potential landing spot? What would it take to get him, and is it realistic? Let’s break it down.

Bucs Have The Cap Space, Draft Capital To Trade For Davante Adams

Bucs assistant general manager Mike Greenberg – Photo by: Mike Greenberg

As it stands, the Bucs currently have $11,472,129 in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com. Pewter Report’s Josh Quiepo has crunched the numbers further, and if Tampa Bay trades for Davante Adams next week, the cap hit for the rest of the season would be $12,558,333. It would take a smaller restructuring move, but it is something assistant general manager and cap guru Mike Greenberg can make happen.

Queipo points out that Adams’ current level of play adjusted for age is worth $25 million. Adding in the surplus value of getting him for the rest of the season for roughly $12.5 million the $37.5 million surplus value is worth about the 43rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

That would mean the Bucs trading their 2025 second-round pick plus another late-round pick as their second-round pick would be later than No. 43 if the season ended today. That would be a steep price to pay to acquire Adams, who turns 32 on Christmas Eve. Bucs general manager Jason Licht does part with picks very often because of the team’s stellar track record in the draft, and there’s no way he would rent a player for just half a season. That means that the Bucs would need to re-sign Adams to an extension to restructure the two remaining years on his contract, and that would likely mean moving on from 28-year old Chris Godwin after the season.

If Adams has a robust trade market for his services, that could drive the cost even higher to a late first-round pick from a team looking to win now, such as the Aaron Rodgers-led Jets. It is something that the Bucs could consider, and teams are always making phone calls and inquiring about players, but this move is unlikely to happen.

Bucs Could Make Win-Now Move For Davante Adams, But It Will Not Happen

Raiders WR Davante Adams – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs currently sit at 3-1 and atop the NFC South. Coming off three straight division titles, they are in a prime position to make it four. Trading for Davante Adams would strengthen the offense and add another dynamic playmaker for quarterback Baker Mayfield to throw to.

Adams has been one of the game’s best wide receivers since entering the league in 2014, the same draft class as Mike Evans. He has 890 career receptions for 10,990 receiving yards and 96 touchdowns, and is entering the same conversation as Evans for being a Hall of Famer when he retires.

Going back in time to when the 2020 Bucs had quarterback Tom Brady, what also made that offense so successful is that defenses had to account for a historic set of weapons that Brady had around him. Adding Adams to pair with Evans and Chris Godwin would be a matchup nightmare and an exciting win-now move reminiscent of those times, but it is not likely to happen.

General manager Jason Licht is not afraid to make splash signings, but when it comes to draft capital, he values draft picks too much to trade for a soon-to-be 32-year-old wide receiver, no matter how good he is.

The team is already paying Evans over $20 million a season, and keeping Godwin around after this season would mean doing the same. Adding another high-priced, 32-year old wide receiver into the mix does not make sense long-term. He would be considered a short-term rental for the rest of the season as his $36.25 million salaries in 2025 and 2026 are not guaranteed, but again, it would come at a steep cost.

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers and Raiders WR Davante Adams – Photo by: USA Today

Already having young wide receivers vying for opportunities in Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer, bringing Adams in would also stunt their development and chances of seeing the field. Signing veteran Sterling Shepard to the active roster while both recover from injuries is the only move the organization will make at the position anytime soon.

The Bucs have to hope that if the Raiders trade Adams to one of his preferred destinations it’s to the Jets where he could be reunited with former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, rather than to the division rival Saints where he would once again team up with quarterback Derek Carr, who played with him at Fresno State and in Las Vegas.

On one side of the token, the 2025 NFL Draft class is not seen as being as deep in high-end talent as in recent years, but it is still an opportunity to add another talented young player. With Licht and the front office emphasizing flooding the roster with “Young Bucs” and being the league’s second-youngest team, it simply does not make sense on paper for the team to go the route of trading for Davante Adams.