Raiders' Davante Adams says he proved he doesn't need Aaron Rodgers

Davante Adams said during a recent interview with Mirin Fader of The Ringer that his 2022 All-Pro campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders proved he didn't need Aaron Rodgers to be successful.

"It proved that I am me," Adams said of last season. "A quarterback doesn't make me. I make me. And I can do it consistently at this level."

Following eight seasons with Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers to begin his career, Adams was traded to Las Vegas last offseason. The 30-year-old teamed up with his former Fresno St. teammate -- Derek Carr -- to record 100 catches for 1,516 receiving yards and a league-leading 14 touchdown receptions during his first year with the Raiders.

Adams made first team All-Pro for the third straight season and earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl honor as well.

Carr signed with the New Orleans Saints in March and Jimmy Garoppolo inked a deal with Las Vegas just over one week later to give Adams his third different starting signal-caller in as many seasons.

"Even if I went and played like dog s*** next year, they can't say it. Because now I've already proved it throughout the course of a season, played every game, and put together a résumé that says I do not need...," Adams said, per Fader. "You can erase all the numbers. You can just write in: He didn't need Aaron Rodgers."

The star wideout added that he felt he was overshadowed by Rodgers during his tenure with the Packers, but "that'll never be the narrative ever again."

Adams and the Raiders will take on both the Packers and New York Jets (Rodgers' new team) during the 2023 regular season. Las Vegas will host Green Bay on Oct. 9 in Week 5 on "Monday Night Football" and host New York on Nov. 12 in Week 10 on "Sunday Night Football."