Davante Adams and Derek Carr already were a great combo. Can history repeat with Raiders?
For at least the past 3 1/2 seasons, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had lacked a true No. 1 receiver.
Yet, statistically he still managed to make it work with what he had by throwing to a cast that included Tyrell Williams, Nelson Agholor and Hunter Renfrow, who each led the Raiders’ wide receiver group in receiving yards for the 2019 through 2021 seasons, respectively.
Carr spread the ball around, just as he did in college at Fresno State when his weapons included Davante Adams.
Now, Carr and Adams are teammates again after the Raiders agreed to acquire the star receiver from the Green Bay Packers on March 17.
The Raiders finally found Carr that topflight guy after numerous failed attempts, including the trade for and subsequent release of Antonio Brown in 2019.
It is a pairing that could cause headaches for NFL defensive backs, if their history in college is any indication.
Sure, that’s college football, the competition is tougher and they’re now older, but both players have proven they still can put up big numbers in the NFL.
In the past two seasons, Adams topped 1,000 yards, including a career-high 1,553 this past season. In 2020, he had a career-high 18 touchdowns with Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback.
In two seasons with Carr at Fresno State, Adams had 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2012 and followed that a year later with 1,719 yards and 24 touchdowns. Both the receiver and the QB smashed school and Mountain West records.
Adams took a redshirt year in 2011 before making his college football debut the following season.
And what a debut it was for Adams.
He had seven receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-10 win over Weber State.
Carr and Adams continued to roll, although the Bulldogs’ depth at wide receiver provided additional targets and limited any double-teams thrown Adams’ way.
A personal connection also grew among the star duo.
“We got going right away,” Adams said then. “Obviously I redshirted, but we were putting in work off the field, in practice, even though I wasn’t playing that year. I was making sure I was getting reps with him and feeling the same way. I just knew we had a connection right away, right off the bat.”
What to expect
The Raiders headed into free agency with Renfrow, Bryan Edwards, Tyron Johnson, Dillon Stoner, DJ Turner and Javon Wims as their wide receivers.
Las Vegas added Mack Hollins to the group in free agency, but a player such as Adams gives the team an obvious game-changer.
Critics will reasonably cite Carr’s winning percentage (57-70) and just two playoff appearances in eight seasons as evidence the Raiders should go in another direction at quarterback
Carr supporters can counter with his 31,000 career passing yards, including four straight 4,000-plus seasons, his numerous team records and 30 game-winning drives for the Raiders.
Expect to see a repeat of the success he and Adams had at Fresno State, where they electrified the Red Wave both at Bulldog Stadium and on the road.
Highlights included:
▪ When Carr went to a fade to the right corner of the end zone and put Adams in a spot where he could wrestle for position, going up and snaring the football before pinning it briefly against the cornerback’s shoulder pads and securing the catch at the 2012 Hawaii Bowl.
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▪ Or how about a relatively short pass turned into a long 60-yard touchdown against Colorado in 2012? While on his way to the end zone, Adams dished out a wicked stiff arm as a Buffaloes linebacker shot over to make a tackle — or at least to try to bring him down.
Adams tucked the ball away and put the defender down with a solid shot before sprinting the final 20 yards into the end zone.
▪ Against UNLV, Adams made a leaping catch up the left sideline after beating press coverage at the line of scrimmage. He adjusted to the ball in the air, then won the battle for a contested catch.
Familiarity matters. Just ask Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, rising stars who are again paired after starring together at LSU.
The other key pieces of the Raiders’ offense also figure to be more dangerous, with star tight end Darren Waller, Renfrow and running back Josh Jacobs potentially ready to elevate their games.
Adams at minimum will help address the Raiders’ red-zone woes. Las Vegas ranked 29th in the NFL in 2021 with a 49.23% rate.
By comparison, Adams was targeted 31 times last season in the red zone and had 19 receptions with nine touchdowns. That was good for third in the NFL
Renfrow, meanwhile, was solid for Carr, with six TD receptions in the red zone among 14 catches, ranking him ninth in the league.
Carr appeared — even after throwing for a career-best 4,804 yards in 2021 — only to need a No. 1 guy to add to his weapons ... like at Fresno State. He has that now in his best friend.
It can’t help but be good for the Raiders. Now, how great can this reunion be?
