Davante Adams

Packers Preparing To Put Franchise Tag On Davante Adams

January 2nd, 2022 at 11:12am CST by Rory Parks

Packers wide receiver Davante Adams recently discussed his future with the team, a future that may include the franchise tag. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears from several sources that Green Bay is indeed preparing to use the tag — a tool the club has not utilized since 2010 — on its star wideout.

Adams, 29, is playing out the final year of the four-year, $58MM extension he signed in December 2017. That proved to be a terrific investment for the Packers, and given the success that Adams has enjoyed over the life of that contract, he is now setting his sights even higher. He wants to be the highest-paid receiver in football, which, in terms of AAV, would mean a deal worth upwards of $27MM per season. The franchise tag, meanwhile, will cost about $20MM.

Once the season is over, Green Bay will have a great deal of work to do just to get under the salary cap, and carrying a $20MM charge on the books for an Adams tag will be challenging. A long-term contract would of course help to limit Adams’ 2022 cap hit, but it will be interesting to see if Adams even wants such a contract from the Packers at this point. Though he said that the club’s plans vis-a-vis Aaron Rodgers will not be the “end-all, be-all” in terms of his own future in Wisconsin, he did concede that Rodgers’ status will be a key consideration for him. And if the Packers move on from their franchise signal-caller — Rapoport suggests that there will be a resolution in that regard fairly early in the offseason — Adams may not want to stick around for the long haul.

Indeed, after Adams broke off contract talks in July, he did not, according to Rapoport, try to reopen them (even though he was reportedly happy to consider any pitches the team wished to make). If the Packers are willing to give him the record-breaking deal he wants, he might be hard-pressed to turn it down, regardless of what the club’s QB situation looks like. But if Green Bay parts way with Rodgers and does not break the bank for Adams, the Fresno State product might risk a statistical downturn in 2022 in the hopes of hitting the open market in 2023.

Rapoport also passes along an update on Rodgers. He confirms that retaining their three-time MVP is the Packers’ top priority, and the front office is hopeful that the regular conversations it has had with him has gotten the relationship to a point where Rodgers will want to stay (video link).

Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams Discuss Post-2021 Plans

December 30th, 2021 at 11:18am CST by Sam Robinson

By far the NFL’s most discussed player this year, Aaron Rodgers is having another MVP-caliber season. The Packers have the inside track on a third straight playoff bye. But the 17th-year quarterback’s future remains uncertain.

After skipping the Packers’ offseason workouts during his dispute with team management, Rodgers agreed to a revised deal that makes him a free agent in 2023. The sides, however, agreed to meet and discuss the future Hall of Famer’s status for 2022 as well. Returning to the Packers, playing elsewhere, and retirement appear to remain on the table.

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst stood in the crosshairs during Rodgers’ holdout. Ted Thompson‘s successor resided as the chief antagonist in this offseason’s Rodgers drama, with the exec’s decision to trade up for Jordan Love — without informing Rodgers beforehand — doing plenty to fuel the issues between Green Bay’s 14th-year starter and management. The parties’ relationship may be in a better place now.

“There will be a lot of things that I’ll weigh in the offseason,” Rodgers said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “Saying that doesn’t mean, or any of the comments I’ve made, doesn’t mean I’m thinking about [playing] elsewhere.

“The things that I’ve said about the team this year, about Brian’s and I’s relationship, has been heartfelt and genuine, and I do appreciate a lot of the things that I’ve seen from the team that are directly related to conversations we had in the offseason, and that was meaningful to me. I’ve enjoyed being a part of conversations that directly affect my job, which I talked about in the offseason, and Brian’s taken the lead in that, and I do appreciate the way our relationship has grown.”

Retirement surfaced as a possibility this year, but Rodgers relented and reported to the Packers. Rodgers retiring in 2022 seems unlikely. He spoke of enjoying this season’s process, as tumultuous as it has been, and said he will continue to play while he is still performing at a high level. The three-time MVP leads the NFL in QBR.

Rodgers’ performance level has again benefited Davante Adams, who is 15 yards away from a new career-high in receiving yards. Adams, 29, also has a murky future in Green Bay. He is due for free agency in March and broke off extension talks with the Packers this summer. Rodgers’ status will affect Adams’ Wisconsin future.

“Obviously, I love being a Packer and love being here,” Adams said. “We’ll see how everything plays out. But to a certain extent, I will be connected with ’12.’ It’s just not like, if he goes, I’m not going to be here or if he stays, I will. It’s something we’ll have to pay attention to, for sure.

“… There’s a lot that goes into it, so it won’t be the end-all, be-all, but it’ll definitely be something I’m monitoring and paying attention to, to see where his head is at.”

Regardless of Rodgers’ status, the Packers have the franchise tag at their disposal with Adams. Although they have not used the tag since cuffing Ryan Pickett in 2010, the Packers keeping Adams would certainly bolster their hopes at another deep playoff run next season. If Green Bay wants to sign Adams to another extension, he was previously seeking to top DeAndre Hopkins ($27MM AAV) as the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. After the drama of this past year, the Packers are set to navigate another complex offseason in 2022.

Packers Activate Davante Adams From Reserve/COVID-19 List

November 5th, 2021 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Packers will not have the reigning MVP in their lineup against the Chiefs, they will see their top skill-position talent return. Davante Adams is off Green Bay’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

Aaron Rodgers is out for at least Week 9 due to his positive coronavirus test. The superstar quarterback is not vaccinated, putting his Week 10 status against the Seahawks in doubt. Adams, however, is vaccinated and had a simpler avenue to return after missing just one game.

Despite Adams missing Week 8, he still has a 500-plus-yard lead on any other Packers pass catcher. Through seven games, Adams has 744 receiving yards. The next-closest Packer — Aaron Jones — has 237 through the air. Adams, 28, is thriving in a contract year. He and the Packers broke off talks before the season started, and the All-Pro’s performance thus far continues to point him to a monster contract — or a franchise tag — in 2022.

The Packers won last week without Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. All three may be in uniform in Kansas City. Lazard’s COVID-19 close-contact period ended last week, and Green Bay designated MVS to return to practice this week. Given the extra 10-day rest Valdes-Scantling will have had after being sidelined for the team’s Thursday game, it is a good best the deep threat will be back in Week 9. Green Bay’s top receivers re-emerging will certainly benefit first-time starter Jordan Love.

Packers’ Davante Adams Out For Week 8

October 27th, 2021 at 1:28pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY: As expected, Adams will not be in uniform against the Cardinals. Adams will not travel with the Packers to Arizona, Steve Wyche of NFL.com notes (Twitter link). Adams, who is vaccinated, tested positive for COVID-19 Monday. Couple this with Allen Lazard‘s status as a high-risk close contact and Green Bay will be severely shorthanded at wide receiver for its high-profile Thursday matchup.

Barry will also miss the game. Defensive backs coach Jerry Gray and inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti will run Green Bay’s defense in Barry’s absence.

MONDAY: The Packers have placed Davante Adams on the COVID-19 list, per a club announcement. It’s not immediately clear whether Adams has tested positive for the virus, but defensive coordinator Joe Barry entered quarantine after testing positive earlier today.

Adams’ status for this week is now in doubt, pending tests. The Packers face the undefeated Cardinals on Thursday night, so the wide receiver has a very short window to clear protocol. Per league rules, he’ll need to pass two COVID tests on back-to-back days if he is asymptomatic.

Adams went off for six catches, 76 yards, and one touchdown against Washington on Sunday. For the year, he has 52 receptions for 744 yards and three TDs.

“Any time that you have any cases, you’re always a little bit concerned about that,” said head coach Matt LaFleur after disclosing Barry’s status. “But the majority of our guys are vaccinated, so there’s a little bit different protocol with that. I don’t think in terms of being at close contact with any of our players, I don’t think that’s a real concern of ours right now. But we’re still waiting to hear back from the league before we get clearance on anything.”

Davante Adams: ‘No Chance’ For Packers Extension Before Season

September 8th, 2021 at 4:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Things have changed since Davante Adams‘ contract last came up. Aaron Rodgers ended his holdout and reported to training camp on time. But the reigning MVP’s future is fuzzy beyond 2021. So is his top wide receiver’s.

The Packers and Adams still appear to be at a stalemate. The sides broke off talks in July, but Adams was open to restarting them. However, he and the Packers remain far apart on an extension. Adams said Wednesday there is “no chance” of a deal coming to pass before the start of the season, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets.

This situation compares to the Steelers’ T.J. Watt talks, with an old-school franchise not giving in on guarantees. The Packers are not willing to give Adams any guaranteed money beyond his signing bonus, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein (on Twitter). While Green Bay was able to keep Aaron Jones this spring, with the running back’s $13MM signing bonus doubling as the deal’s only fully guaranteed money, Adams plays a more valuable position that has a longer shelf life. The Packers are dug in here, per Silverstein, leading to an impasse.

Adams wants a deal that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid wideout. With DeAndre Hopkins‘ outlier $27MM-per-year deal currently occupying that space, it is difficult to imagine Green Bay going there. The Packers could have Jordan Love‘s rookie contract to build around, but some Rodgers dead money would remain on Green Bay’s cap in 2022 — in the event of a trade — going into the third year of Love’s team-friendly deal.

A four-time Pro Bowler going into his age-28 season, Adams would make sense on a Hopkins-type medium-length extension. But the sides are not there yet. Green Bay’s top target will go forward with a contract year.

No deal being finalized before the season would not kill an arrangement to keep Adams in Wisconsin long-term. The Packers signed him to his current deal late in the 2017 season and have the franchise tag to deploy should this situation head to that point of the calendar. While the Packers have not used their tag since 2010, Adams could be worthy of a short-term fix — especially if Rodgers remains in the picture for 2022.

Davante Adams Wants To Be Highest-Paid WR

July 28th, 2021 at 5:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Packers receiver Davante Adams is willing to restart extension talks with the Packers, but the wideout made it clear that he won’t be giving the team a discount on his next deal. The receiver told reporters today that he’s “earned the right to be paid the highest” among NFL receivers.

“I’m not gonna too far into details about the numbers and all of that stuff, but I like to say that I’ve outperformed my last contract or my current contract,” Adams said (via NFL.com). “I’m going to keep elevating. At the end of the day, however it pans out, it pans out that way and I’m going to think long and hard about how everything goes. At this point, like I said, I’m here for my teammates and I’m really excited to be back. I told you guys before — I’m a man of my word and I’m ready to play.”

Adams is set to earn $16.8MM next season, and he currently has the third highest cap hit at the position (behind Amari Cooper and Allen Robinson). However, Adams’ earned around $14.5MM per year throughout his current contract, and that AAV ranks 18th among all wideouts. The veteran will surely rise on that AAV list over the next year, whether it be via an extension with the Packers or a free agent contract elsewhere. If Adams truly wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid wideout, he’ll likely be demanding an AAV that rivals DeAndre Hopkins‘ position-leading mark of $27MM+.

Just a few days ago NFL Network was saying things were “now in a bad place” between Adams and the franchise. Apparently news of Aaron Rodgers’ impending return has changed those circumstances, even though it seems like Rodgers could still be on his way out the door in 2022. Rodgers’ agreement with the Packers will apparently give them some extra cap space for this season, potentially making it easier to iron something out with Adams. However, the receiver’s demands are lofty, and it remains to be seen if the organization will dish out that kind of money to retain the wideout.

Davante Adams, Packers To Restart Extension Talks?

July 26th, 2021 at 5:05pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Things are moving quickly in Green Bay. News about Aaron Rodgers has been flying in all afternoon, and now we have an update on another one of their star offensive players.

Just a few days ago we heard that Davante Adams had ended extension talks with the team, but with Rodgers back in the fold Adams is once again “open to a deal,” Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Adams “now is willing to listen to any contract discussions the team would like to have,” sources told Schefter.

Rodgers’ agreement with the Packers will apparently give them some extra cap space for this season, potentially making it easier to iron something out with Adams. Just a few days ago NFL Network was saying things were “now in a bad place” between Adams and the franchise.

Apparently news of Rodgers’ impending return has changed those circumstances, even though it seems like Rodgers could still be on his way out the door in 2022. Either way, it’s another welcome development for Packers fans.

Arguably the top receiver in the game, Adams will turn 29 in December and is undoubtedly looking for one last mega-payday as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

The Fresno State product will be seeking, and will almost certainly get, a record-shattering contract when the time comes. In a follow-up tweet, Schefter confirmed that the newly found cap space from the Rodgers agreement will be used to make another run at an Adams extension. Adams was a first-team All-Pro last year and has made the Pro Bowl four straight seasons.

Packers, Davante Adams End Talks

July 23rd, 2021 at 11:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Packers and wide receiver Davante Adams have ended their long-term extension talks (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). There are no current plans to resume them, putting the Packers star on course for free agency after the 2021 season.

The two sides have been talking for months now, but they’ve made little in the way of progress. Rapoport hears that things are “now in a bad place,” so the Packers have now rankled both Adams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Adams has been pushing to be the league’s highest-paid wide receiver, or something close to it. However, the Packers’ latest offer would have left him shy of DeAndre Hopkins, who holds the top spot with $27.25MM per year on average. Titans receiver Julio Jones is (a distant) second to him with a $22MM AAV. Adams, meanwhile, signed his extension before the WR market ballooned in 2018. As it stands, he’s just the NFL’s 18th-highest-paid receiver with $14.5MM on average.

Adams won’t turn 29 until December and he ranks as one of the NFL’s premier wideouts. The Packers, to their credit, did well to lock Adams down before he had compiled a 1,000-yard season. Now, the Fresno State alum has two 1,000-yard campaigns and a 997-yard 2019, a season in which he played just 12 games. Last year, Adams led the NFL with 98.1 receiving yards per game.

Raiders QB Derek Carr Would “Welcome” Reunion With Davante Adams

June 28th, 2021 at 7:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Derek Carr has had a rotating cast of receivers since he joined the Raiders as a second-round pick in 2014. So, when he was recently asked about the opportunity to team up with impending free agent wideout (and former college teammate) Davante Adams in 2022, Carr was naturally on board.

“I’ve learned in this business, you never shut the door on anything,” Carr said to Bri Mellon of ABC30 (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “I know that he’s obviously the best receiver — everyone said one of the best, he’s the best receiver in the NFL. The guy is unbelievable. He’s been one of my best friends since we were in college together. I love the guy.

“I would always welcome to play with him again. I think it would unlock some things in both of us that people haven’t seen yet. I’m always open to that and I will be recruiting very hard. When that time comes, it will be a full-court press.”

Carr was a two-time Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year during his collegiate career, and a big reason for those accolades was the presence of Adams. Carr threw for 9,187 yards between the 2012 and 2013 seasons, with Adams collecting 3,031 yards through the air (plus 38 touchdowns).

While the Raiders have done some work to improve Carr’s receiving corps (including acquiring Antonio Brown and drafting Henry Ruggs in the first round of the 2020 draft), the Raiders have still had a tight end lead the squad in receiving in each of the past three years (Jared Cook and Darren Waller (twice)). Even assuming that Ruggs is able to develop into a top-end starter, the team would surely still be in the market for some receiving help.

Considering the Packers uncertain future at quarterback, it’s only natural that front offices are dreaming of adding Adams to their offense. Of course, Green Bay could end that sentiment by extending the wideout, or they could alternatively franchise the receiver following the 2021 campaign. Still, if Aaron Rodgers is gone, Adams could push for a trade, in which case Carr and the Raiders would presumably be at the front of the line.

Packers, Davante Adams “Beginning” Talks

June 23rd, 2021 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Davante Adams has had preliminary discussions with the Packers about his contract (via Paulina Dedja of FOX News). For now, Adams is set to enter the final year of his deal — a now under-market four-year, $58MM pact.

As expected, Adams reported to the team’s mandatory minicamp earlier this month. However, the All-Pro wideout did not participate in any of the on-field work. In essence, Adams avoided the possibility of ~$300K in fines while still sending a message to Packers brass. Now, his camp will continue to push for a new deal, though Adams says he has the Aaron Rodgers situation on his mind, in addition to money.

“That’ll play into it, but there’s been talks, just really just talks, but we haven’t really done anything or talked about anything that’s worth mentioning,” Adams said. “It’s kind of just been the beginning stage of talking, and we’ll figure out what happens. Hopefully, something gets figured out, but I’m just there to play ball either way. That stuff will take care of itself eventually.”

Adams, 28, has become one of the NFL’s premier wideouts since signing his extension in December 2017. The Packers did well to lock Adams down before he had compiled a 1,000-yard season — he now has multiple 1,000-yard campaigns, plus a 997-yard 2019, when he played just 12 games. Last year, Adams led the NFL with 98.1 receiving yards per contest and 18 total receiving TDs. Excluding Allen Robinson‘s franchise tag, Adams ranks as the NFL’s 16th-highest-paid receiver.

If Adams and the club can’t reach agreement between now and March of 2022, the Packers could still cuff him via the franchise tag. That wouldn’t be the preferred outcome for either party — the Packers haven’t used it since 2010, when they tagged defensive lineman Ryan Pickett.

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