Jets players still dreaming of Davante Adams after he slipped away at trade deadline

Joe Douglas inquired about Davante Adams at the trade deadline, because two Garrett Wilsons are better than one, and he was rebuffed.

Aaron Rodgers, Achilles willing, has been dreaming about a reunion with his former elite go-to receiver in Green Bay. And because Rodgers serves as occasional GM/coach/OC, bet that the juice will be worth the squeeze over the offseason for Douglas and Woody Johnson during their “Future Is Now” Super Bowl window, even though Adams would be beginning the third year of a five-year, $140 million contract at age 31. The Jets — who will get an up-close look at Adams on Sunday night in Las Vegas — still have their 2024 first-round pick to use in a possible deal because Rodgers did not reach the 65 percent snap threshold, which would have sent the pick to the Packers.

Turns out Rodgers isn’t the only one dreaming about Davante Adams in green and white.

“I’ve always said he’s top two — not two — as far as receivers in the league, so to have him part of my team, would be a huge honor again obviously,” former Packers WR Allen Lazard told The Post. “I’d love to play alongside of him and be able to work with him again and just be able to chase after a ring again.”

It is too late, of course, for Adams to ride to the rescue of embattled and beleaguered Zach Wilson and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett the rest of this season.

“Unbelievable player, would love to be a teammate of him,” former Packers WR Randall Cobb told The Post.

Cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed will be tasked with preventing Adams from wrecking the game Sunday, just as Antonio Pierce will be obsessed with making certain that Garrett Wilson does not wreck the game for his Raiders.

Adams has gone six consecutive weeks during the Raiders quarterback turmoil without a touchdown catch, but Woody Johnson’s new missing piece in 2024 when Rodgers ultimately returns would be a partner in crime for Garrett Wilson.

“Davante Adams is a great player, and any team would welcome him with open arms,” RB Michael Carter told The Post.

A Davante Adams-Garrett Wilson tandem for Rodgers would rival Jalen Hurts’ A.J. Brown-DeVonta Smith dynamic duo.

“I’m sure any quarterback would want a reunion with Davante,” Reed said.

Watch Adams and Garrett Wilson on Sunday and it will be hard to miss how similar they are. Aside from the fact they both wear No. 17. Rodgers has marveled at each of their releases off the line of scrimmage.

“They just know how to get open,” Reed said. “It’s something that you really can’t teach. And also the mindset that they both have, you could tell with Garrett, he’s the same way as far as you could tell that he watches film and he cares about everything that he puts on tape and he’s very hard on himself. I don’t really know Davante, but just watching his tape I could tell that he has those characteristics.”

Lazard marvels at their quickness and explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. “They know how to get past the guy within that first two steps,” he said.

Once they are in the route, there is another obvious comparison to make.

“Improvisation,” Lazard said. “Being able to run your route and be in the right place at the right time regardless of how the defense plays you. The adjustments they have to make pre-snap and post-snap, and just the elusiveness in their routes of how they make a lot of things look the exact same, but then, go the exact opposite way.”

Wilson has been watching film of Adams for years.

“It’s just easy for me to see him do it and be like, ‘OK, that’s how I should make it look,’ ” Wilson said before the season opener. “And knowing how great he was and seeing how he made it work because this offense is catered to a receiver.”

Adams (51 catches for 573 yards and three TDs) has tailed off following three straight seasons of 100 or more receptions and 1,374 or more yards and double-digit TDs.

“You just see the movement and the route running, and the separation, and he’s still scary in all of those ways,” Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said.

Adams, who has expressed frustration and slammed his helmet on the ground during a one-catch pre-Halloween performance against the Lions, is catching passes these days from rookie Aidan O’Connell.

“He’s just an artist,” Reed said. “I feel like there’s a few guys that really take pride in their work, to the point of being technical with every movement. He’s one of those guys. You could tell that he studies the film a lot. You could tell that every step that he makes on the field matters. He’s great at the line of scrimmage with his releases, he’s great at the top of the route. Obviously he can catch the ball well. He’s just a well-polished receiver.”

Jets defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson recognizes the play style likenesses between Adams and Garrett Wilson, who has 46 catches for 549 and two touchdowns.

“Just so explosive off the line, so shifty. … They can just get a little screen or a little slant and take it all the way, and they can go and get a deep ball,” Jefferson said.

Adams would have No. 17 waiting for him next season because Garrett Wilson will be vacating it.

“He’s gonna be wearing No. 5 next year. He tweeted that a long time ago,” Carter said.

Packers East would not feel complete without Davante Adams.

“He’s a great player, Hall of Fame player, so if he come here,” Jefferson said, “I think everybody would welcome it.”