How could Jets' Davante Adams trade impact Garrett Wilson?

The Jets’ ongoing efforts to get Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson on the same page continued on Monday, with the two connecting a ton as Wilson had a big game in New York's loss to the Bills.

At the same time, buzz had continued to build around the possibility of the Jets making a trade for Davante Adams, who wanted to leave the Raiders and had expressed a desire to be reunited with Rodgers.

That trade is now happening, with the Jets sending a conditional third-round pick to the Raiders.

We covered the pros and cons of a potential Adams trade last year before the Raiders ultimately decided to retain him. Everything discussed back then still applies now: He remains a productive player who is affordable and a scheme fit, with automatic chemistry with Rodgers, but he's also over 30 and required the Jets to give up assets.

The ongoing issues with Rodgers and Wilson have raised additional speculation about the potential impact of this move, though. Some have suggested Wilson’s apparent frustration will grow if it means he won’t see as many targets.

After the Jets' loss to Minnesota, Wilson reiterated that he just wants to win and that his own touches and numbers are not the top priority for him or the team.

Nevertheless, there was a concern that bringing in Adams could undermine the ongoing progress the Jets have made in terms of getting Rodgers and Wilson to see the game through each other’s eyes.

If getting Adams means fewer targets for Wilson, the fear will be that this won't just mean an inevitable reduction in Wilson’s production but can also slow down the progress they’ve been making.

Wilson was far from being against the idea of bringing in Adams, though. "That’d be cool, man," he said recently when asked about the possibility of bringing him in. "If we can get him over here, it's like I always say: If someone can help us win, let’s do it."

While Wilson’s frustration has been hard to hide at times this year, it genuinely seems to stem from the team not having success rather than him being angry at not getting the ball enough or blaming someone else for things that go wrong.

Ultimately, the move for Adams could have obvious benefits to Wilson as well. He can learn a lot from Adams, specifically in terms of how to optimize his connection with Rodgers.

The process of developing into one of Rodgers’ favorite targets was not an immediate one for Adams, either. Packers fans were frustrated with his progress during his second season before he made a leap in his third season and then went to his first Pro Bowl in year four.

The 31-year-old should be able to guide Wilson through the process in a mentoring capacity, while also being someone who can lead by example.

The other obvious positive for Wilson will be that bringing in Adams will prevent teams from being able to divert as much defensive attention his way as they currently do.

Had Adams been around for the Denver game, it’s likely Patrick Surtain would have spent at least some of the time on him, giving Wilson opportunities for more favorable matchups against players like Riley Moss. The Jets adding Adams could also free Wilson up to play in the slot more, which could create mismatches.

Of course, nurturing Wilson’s talent is a long-term priority for the Jets, as he is a key part of their young nucleus. In the shorter term, winning games is an ongoing priority, and Rodgers should be here for the next few seasons. So it is important that he and Wilson can play well together, as they did in the second half on Sunday.

There’s no reason why Adams' arrival should undermine the progress the Jets have made so far and, as Wilson himself recognizes, Adams is a talented player who will improve the team and help their ability to win games.