Raiders HC responds to controversial Davante Adams comments

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels defended Davante Adams over controversial comments recently offered by the All-Pro wide receiver. 

According to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN, McDaniels told reporters Thursday that Adams has "an opinion and a voice because [he's] earned it" throughout his impressive career. 

"And I respect the hell out of anything that [he] would say or suggest or anything like that," McDaniels continued. "During the course of the process of trying to improve our team, which, I know where Davante comes from, he's a competitor. He wants to win, and that's really his sole focus and that's what he does here every day. He's here pushing himself, pushing his teammates. He's been a tremendous leader again this spring for our football team."

Adams generated headlines earlier this month when he said he and the Raiders' front office "don't see eye-to-eye on what we think is best for us right now." The 30-year-old later shared a picture of himself with general manager Dave Ziegler and a caption that referred to Ziegler as "the man."

The Raiders parted ways with quarterback Derek Carr this past winter and seemingly made no attempt to land Aaron Rodgers, Adams' former teammate with the Green Bay Packers before Las Vegas signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency. The often-injured Garoppolo is recovering from foot surgery he underwent in March. 

"Those things happen, I'd say, all the time where somebody may have a question or a comment or a discussion is had, and those are the right things to do, and those players have earned it," McDaniels added about Adams. "And so, I have nothing but respect for anybody like that, that has a comment or an opinion like that. It's not really my concern that anybody necessarily adopts every vision that Dave or I have for the decisions that we have to make. Sometimes those are difficult."

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio mentioned last week the Raiders theoretically could trade Adams after June 1 if a team such as the Buffalo Bills or New York Giants sent Las Vegas "a significant haul to justify" such a move. 

For now, McDaniels sounds ready to move past whatever bothered Adams this offseason and move forward with the six-time Pro Bowl selection on the roster.