Raiders star WR Davante Adams is inspired by Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Here’s why
.JPG "Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams runs after a catch against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half of an NFL game Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, in Seattle.")
Piling up yards after the catch is what Davante Adams is excelling at.
He has one person in particular to thank for some added awareness in that area: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
It really started for Adams prior to the 2021 NFL season, when, he said, he was watching how Jackson escaped defenders while gaining extra yardage on his rushing attempts.
“I was watching some Lamar Jackson highlights and it was just kind of ridiculous to me, some of the stuff that he was doing. I was like, I got to be able to do half of that,” Adams said this week.
It’s no wonder that Adams found the perfect role model. Jackson has 2,294 yards after contact in five seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.
In nine seasons, Adams has 3,940 yards after the catch. His numbers hit at least 600 YAC in 2020 and 2021.
Adams said yards after catch was his main focus when the Packers played the Lions in their first matchup last season.
In that game, Adams finished with 41 additional yards in a game in which he totaled eight receptions for 121 yards in a 35-17 victory.
He finished the season with 650 yards after catch.
This season, his first with the Raiders? He’s at 366 in YAC with six games left in the regular season.
His highest total came in Week 11, when he had 74 yards after the catch against the Colts. He finished with 126 yards and a touchdown.
For the season, Adams has 71 reception for 999 yards and 10 touchdowns after he had 74 yards (23 after catch) in last week’s 40-34 overtime victory over the Seahawks.
“It’s a little innate,” Adams said. “And it’s a little something that is natural to me being aware and knowing space. That’s going to be my main objective. I want to be aware of that and never let the first guy get me. And ever since I kind of tapped into it on a different level, I think last year was really where I turned it up and started to be a little bit more aware that, especially with the way I’m getting covered, it’s not as easy as getting space.
“Being able to make a couple of people miss that are kind of in my proximity has proven to be something that helped me out a lot in my game. Definitely been working on it.”
This story was originally published December 1, 2022 at 6:50 PM.
