The biggest thing all teams want to avoid during training camp is injuries. A top player going down in practice can completely change the trajectory of the entire season, and the Las Vegas Raiders had a bit of a scare regarding top wide receiver Davante Adams.
In the first play of 11-on-11 drills during the joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers, Adams took a hit from 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward and stayed down on the field for some time. Eventually, Adams was able to get on his feet and was helped off the field, apparently favoring his right leg as he went to the sideline.
While everything is not yet known, head coach Josh McDaniels is confident that Adams will be just fine. After practice, McDaniels said that he doesn’t believe the injury was anything serious and believes it was a completely clean play from Ward, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk:
“I haven’t seen anything. I don’t think it was crazy serious,” head coach Josh McDaniels said of Adams’ injury in his Friday press conference. “It was just kind of a bang-bang play — totally clean on both sides.”
The Raiders are undoubtedly hopeful that McDaniels is right and Adams will be fine moving forward as the offense can not afford to lose another top producer. Adams was a First Team All-Pro in his first year in Las Vegas finishing the season with 100 receptions for 1,516 yards and an NFL-leading 14 touchdowns.
Adams and running back Josh Jacobs were the two constants for the Raiders offense last season and with Jacobs still holding out from the team, the importance of Adams is even more apparent. While the team added Jakobi Meyers this offseason, there is simply no replacing what Davante Adams brings to the table.
Thankfully it looks as if Adams avoided serious injury and will be just fine moving forward. He, along with Meyers, Hunter Renfrow and tight ends Michael Mayer and Austin Hooper give the Raiders one of the best group of pass catchers in the entire NFL. With a new quarterback under center in Jimmy Garoppolo, having all weapons at his disposal is a must in order to allow him to perform to the best of his ability.
There are few players who are truly irreplaceable, and Adams is one of those without a doubt so his avoiding injury and being on the field when the regular season begins is a must.
