“The grass is green where you water it,” Aaron Rodgers mused Friday about his former teammate’s situation. Hours earlier, Davante Adams had set NFL Twitter ablaze with an Instagram story featuring Edgar Allan Poe’s portrait. The Raiders’ star receiver, fresh off requesting a trade Monday, seemed to be dropping breadcrumbs toward Baltimore. But in the NFL, sometimes a raven is just a raven.

“Nothing going on” – these three words from NFL insider Josina Anderson’s source hit Ravens fans like a blindside blitz. Anderson doubled down, confirming that trade discussions between Baltimore and Las Vegas remain as empty as the Raiders’ Super Bowl trophy case for decades.

The timing felt ripe for something special. Adams, currently battling a week-to-week hamstring injury, had kicked off quite the literary adventure. Beyond the Poe portrait, he dropped another nugget – a quote reading “Believe nothing you hear and half of what you see.” Baltimore’s front office, steering an offense that’s steamrolling the league with 881 rushing yards, could certainly use another playmaker for Lamar Jackson.

But NFL dreams often crash against salary cap realities. The Ravens are sitting on a mere $4 million in cap space, while Adams carries a $13.5 million cap hit if moved before Week 5. Even Raiders owner Mark Davis seems eager to deal, with CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reporting “pressure” to accept a second-round pick. Multiple league executives believe Las Vegas might eventually settle for a third-rounder “and some change.”

The six-time Pro Bowler’s numbers this season tell their own story – 18 catches, 209 yards, and one touchdown before the hamstring bug bit. Yet he’s just one season removed from being a three-time All-Pro who’s topped 100 catches and 1,100 yards in four straight campaigns.

Davante Adams’ next chapter remains unwritten

While Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers played coy about his former Packers teammate – “I don’t know how much I can say about it. There’s tampering” – another ex-teammate was more forthcoming. Saints QB Derek Carr didn’t mince words: “I think all 32 quarterbacks would love to play with Davante. We would welcome that.”

The Raiders aren’t limiting their options. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport listed an intriguing mix of potential suitors beyond Baltimore: the Saints, Steelers, Bills, Cowboys, and even the 49ers. The Jets lead the pack, though Rapoport noted Adams “has not demanded” a New York reunion with Rodgers.

Money talks in the NFL, and Adams’ contract speaks volumes. The Athletic’s Jacob Robinson and Dianna Russini highlighted the elephant in the room: base salaries of $35.6 million in 2025 and $36.6 million in 2026. Without a restructuring, those numbers might scare off more suitors than a midnight visit from Poe’s raven.

For now, Baltimore fans watch their rushing attack dominate while dreams of Adams in purple fade like whispers in the night. Perhaps it’s fitting that the man who penned “The Raven” inspired this saga. After all, both Poe and NFL trade deadlines share one famous word: Nevermore.