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Antonio Pierce’s tirade leads to speculation over Davante Adams transfer
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Antonio Pierce’s tirade leads to speculation over Davante Adams transfer

What a difference a week can make.

The Raiders followed up a nice win over the Ravens with an embarrassing loss to the Panthers, with head coach Antonio Pierce promising changes.

The first-year head coach criticized some of his players for the poor performance, losing 36-22 to a Panthers team that had not won a single game to that point.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce looks on from the sidelines during the team’s loss to the Panthers on September 22, 2024. AP

“No, they didn’t show up,” Pierce said after a reporter asked if the team had shown up.

“As the game progressed, there were a number of individuals who made business decisions, so we will continue to make business decisions in the future.”

The Raiders defense made Andy Dalton, who was named the starting pitcher this week after two terrible outings from Bryce Young, the third-leading passer in QBR (86.9) in Week 3.

It’s hard to say which players Pierce was referring to, but the body language of star player Davante Adams, who looked disgusted at halftime, certainly left much to be desired.

“I feel like I don’t know, it’s hard for me to identify that. I’m not sure,” Adams said when asked about Pierce’s comment, according to ESPN.

Adams sat on the bench as his teammates entered the locker room, trailing 21-7, looking for answers about the horrendous performance.

Adams is unlikely to be with the team next year due to an exception in his contract that would allow Vegas to avoid a $44.1 million salary cap hit, the most of any non-QB in 2025.

Raiders receiver Davante Adams watches from the bench during the team’s loss to the Panthers on Sept. 22, 2024. CBS

Adams would have a number of candidates to choose from for the Raiders and would undoubtedly land a draft pick worth a trade.

The Jets could be potential trade partners, given his long-standing relationship with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Chiefs and Saints are also possibilities.

Adams was seen dissing the team’s former quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, in the Netflix documentary “Receiver” and hinted that he played a role in the decision to bench the veteran quarterback last season.

Antonio Pierce during the Raiders’ loss to the Panthers on September 22, 2024. Getty Images
Raiders receiver Davante Adams (17) holds Panthers cornerback Michael Jackson (2) in check as he runs with the ball on Sept. 22, 2024. Kirby Lee-Imagn-Images

Gardner Minshew is the starter for Las Vegas this year and Adams has 18 catches for 209 yards and a touchdown during the team’s 1-2 start.

Adams was just the fourth receiver on Sunday, despite being targeted a team-high nine times by Minshew.

The transfer deadline for NFL players is November 5.