On Thursday, the Green Bay Packers made headlines by trading star wide receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders for multiple draft picks.
The deal rocked the world of cheeseheads across the land, especially since it came just days after Aaron Rodgers announced he would be remaining with the team after speculation that he would be leaving.
Reportedly, the two sides could not agree to the terms of a new contract, especially after Adams let it be known last summer that he wanted to be the NFL’s highest-paid wideout.
It’s hard to argue that he deserves that, as he’s coming off a season in which he had 123 receptions for 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns.
One would automatically think it was a bad move for Green Bay, but the situation was more complicated than it seems at face value.
Was Adams Willing To Stay With The Packers, Given The Circumstances?
According to reports, Adams and the Packers were not even close to agreeing on a new contract, and thus the team used the franchise tag on him, which would’ve paid him just over $20 million this upcoming season, according to The Sporting News.
That would’ve made Adams the second-highest-paid receiver in pro football, the problem being that the highest-paid wideout, the Arizona Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins, is at $27.25 million.
Apparently, Rodgers also was clued into the whole situation, and he knew that it would have the result it ultimately had.
While Aaron Rodgers was negotating his contract, he knew Davante Adams would never play for the #Packers again. The situation was too far gone. Something had to give. And when Adams informed GB he wasn’t playing on the tag, talks got fired up. Now, Adams will be on the #Raiders. https://t.co/YTAxHov0Rj
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2022
In addition, there is another factor that makes it seem as though the relationship between Adams and management was simply too strained to even attempt to keep him in Wisconsin.
Per a source, the Packers we’re willing to pay Adams equally to what the Raiders are with this new deal but Adams preferred to play elsewhere.
Aaron Rodgers was aware of the developments with Adams as they unfolded in recent days.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) March 17, 2022
Given all these factors, one has to wonder if Rodgers’ top desire was to simply get paid top dollar, even if it meant playing on a subpar team for the remainder of his days with Green Bay.
Needless to say, without Adams, it’s hard to picture the Packers as a Super Bowl contender. There even seems to be the possibility that they won’t even make the playoffs next season.
A Hidden Benefit Of The Adams Trade
As bad as the entire situation looks for Green Bay, there could be a silver lining.
Had Adams agreed to play under the franchise tag this coming season, the Packers would’ve been about $50 million over the salary cap, and had they offered him the contract he desired, that number would’ve been even higher, making it very tough to retain other players who are free agents.
However, Adams’ departure now places Green Bay about $22 million under the cap, giving them some money to work with in order to replenish its roster.
With the Raiders’ first and second-round picks in next month’s NFL draft, the Packers will have limited, but possibly significant capital they can use to improve.
Although Rodgers is signed through the 2026 season, no one knows how much longer he will play, let alone at a high level. Thus it would be prudent for the Packers to start to prioritize building for the post-Rodgers era, especially since it probably won’t be contending for the Super Bowl anytime soon.
The Adams trade could very well help them do just that.
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