A bombshell report came out on Thursday night involving star receiver Davante Adams.
The Green Bay Packers have sent Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Pack, who put a franchise tag on Adams weeks ago, will receive a first and second-round pick in the trade.
The trade news shocked Packers fans, as they figured the team would work out a long-term deal with Adams.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers now is without the one player that accounted for around 1/3 of his 2021 passing stats.
While the dust is still settling, people are asking why did the Packers lose Adams in the first place?
Adams Wanted A Long-Term Deal And Not To Be Franchised Tagged
Adams told sources that he was looking for a long-term deal with the Packers.
His one-year franchise tag contract upset him to the point of refusing to play in 2022 for the Packers.
But the Packers had their back against the wall.
They needed to get under the cap before the NFL 2022 league season officially started.
The team figured doing a franchise tag would keep him there to negotiate until they could get cap space.
However, they were wrong as Adams ended up in Las Vegas after a trade.
The Raiders gave Adams a five-year $141.25 million contract, giving him the long-term deal he wanted.
It Wasn’t About The Money
Even with Adams’s mega-contract, his move wasn’t about money.
Green Bay offered to match the deal provided by the Raiders to him.
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
But it was already too late for Green Bay.
They had their chance earlier to do this but could not because of the salary cap.
The biggest hit to the team in the cap comes from one man, Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers Put Money Over His Best Receiver
Rodgers had a chance to rework his contract before the Packers put the franchise tag on Adams.
But Rodgers would only sign on the dotted line after knowing Adams was being traded.
He didn’t seem to do anything to stop the trade for a quarterback who complained about the lack of weapons in Green Bay.
Had the deal been made before the new league season started, they might have been able to save Adams.
.@ShannonSharpe reacts to Davante Adams traded to the Raiders:
"I'm sure the uncertainty with Rodgers every year weighed on Davante. Also Green Bays' at fault for letting his contract run out. Now he gets to reunite with a friend and play for the team he watched growing up." pic.twitter.com/fYyfhtGwjj
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 18, 2022
Without Adams, the Packers face a situation where Rodgers will be down to Randall Cobb as his primary receiver.
Cobb turns 32 when the NFL 2022 season begins, meaning Rodgers will have a receiver just outside of his prime.
Adams Has A Connection With Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr
The two players were college teammates back in their days at Fresno State.
So it makes sense that Adams would ask for a trade to a team with a quarterback he played with in the past.
With Carr and Adams back together again, it brings the two back to their old days in college.
It also makes it seem like Adams had more connection with his old college quarterback over his current one when he was in Green Bay.
Adam Thielen: Chooses to stay with Kirk Cousins
Davante Adams: Chooses to get the hell away from Aaron Rodgers pic.twitter.com/8tfuZWbujP
— Skolney (@Skolney79) March 18, 2022
That connection is most likely why Adams decided he was going to roll the dice and head to Las Vegas.
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