Raiders try to ignore ‘elephant in the room,’ put focus on Broncos
The business and playing sides of professional football intersected in a major way at the Raiders’ facility Wednesday.
Upstairs, general manager Tom Telesco continued to work the phones, trying to facilitate a trade of star wide receiver Davante Adams. The 32-year-old is still one of the NFL’s best players, and the attention he is drawing reflects his status.
The New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers have expressed interest in Adams, according to sources and reports.
No deal is imminent, but given Adams’ desire to be moved and the Raiders’ eagerness to accommodate him, a deal could happen by the end of the week, a league source indicated Wednesday.
Meanwhile, downstairs in the locker room, players were trying to come to grips with life without their good friend. They were determined not to let what quarterback Gardner Minshew described as the “elephant in the room” affect their preparation for Sunday’s game at Denver.
But that won’t be easy.
“I mean, it’s gonna be a distraction,” wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said. “It is what it is. We understand that.”
Or, as left tackle Kolton Miller said: “You can’t let that get to you. You just gotta say … this has happened, so how are we going to adjust?”
The focus is on business
The mood inside the locker room seemed a bit somber compared to most days, but the players know they have to draw a distinct line between their personal feelings and professional obligations.
“We’ve got to focus on the task at hand with who we have here,” Minshew said. “Obviously, everybody understands Davante’s situation. We all love Davante, but understand he’s got to make the best decision for him. Our team has to make the best decision for us, and we’ve got to keep moving forward and try to figure out how to win games.”
Part of that falls in the lap of coach Antonio Pierce, whose ability to manage the situation could determine the direction the season takes.
“It starts with me because that’s my only focus,” Pierce said. “I get paid here to get ready each and every week for the opponent. I don’t blink. I don’t flinch. I’ve said it before, I’ve been through enough in my life with adversity and stuff that it doesn’t bother me.”
Multiple sources indicated that Pierce’s relationship with Adams has deteriorated recently. Pierce has notoriously been a free talker since taking over the team, but his tone recently has been decidedly more toned down.
When asked Wednesday where things stood with the organization and Adams, Pierce simply said Adams continues to rehab from his hamstring injury. When asked if Adams would be at the facility, he said: “He’s supposed to be rehabbing.”
Social media controversy
Pierce sidestepped a question about a report that he “liked” a social media post that suggested Adams had played his final game with the Raiders.
“I’m just focused on Denver,” he said.
Pierce asked his players to do the same during a team meeting Wednesday morning. As for Adams, the situation is out of their hands.
“That’s not for us to handle,” Minshew said. “Our job is to get out there and practice to prepare for this week, so that’s all we can do and trust that the guys upstairs are going to make the right decisions for our team.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.