Davante Adams stated that he will not play for the Green Bay Packers under the franchise tag, and that looks to be the case.
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Raiders are acquiring Adams from the Packers in exchange for their 2022 first- and second-round selections and handing the superstar receiver a new five-year, $141.25 million contract. Adams will earn an average of $28.25 million per year, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history, according to Rapoport.
The Nos. 22 and 53 overall choices in the 2022 NFL Draft will be delivered to Green Bay.
Adams’ representatives acknowledged to Rapoport that the Packers offered him more money than the Raiders will provide him, but it had been his lifetime desire to play for the Silver and Black.
It’s a transaction that’s been discreetly in the works for days, with the teams working out the terms including Adams’ contract extension. According to Rapoport, it is projected to be finished by the end of the year barring any last-minute difficulties.
Adams, 29, has enjoyed a lengthy and fruitful partnership with two-time AP NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, who just re-signed with the Packers. According to Rapoport, Rodgers knew during his contract discussions that Adams “would never play for the Packers again” because “the problem was too far gone.”
Pelissero reported that Adams’ problems with contract discussions went back to last summer, though he kept them mostly quiet.
While Adams is leaving behind a spectacular career with the Packers and Rodgers, he will reunite with his college quarterback Derek Carr, whom he played with at Fresno State. According to Rapoport, Adams just acquired a home “exactly next door to his new quarterback.”
According to NFL Research, Adams topped the Football Bowl Subdivision in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns during their two seasons as Bulldogs, while Carr led the FBS in throwing yards and passing touchdowns.
Carr now has Adams, tight end Darrell Waller, and wide Hunter Renfrow at his disposal, as he searches for a real No. 1 receiver. Carr’s luck may improve as a result of the Adams transaction. According to Rapoport, the Raiders will work out a contract deal with Carr as the next step, as Adams moved to Vegas assuming Carr would be there for a long time.
Adams has been named to five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams in his eight seasons with the Packers, establishing himself as probably the best wide receiver in the league. He’s coming off a season in which he threw for 1,553 yards, 123 catches, and 11 touchdowns, all career highs. It was Adams’ fifth season with at least ten touchdowns, his third with over 1,000 yards, and his third with more than 100 receptions.
The fact that Adams (and Rodgers) needed some help in the WR corps was a running theme during his time in Titletown. Now that he’s gone, the Packers’ top two receivers will almost certainly be Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.
The Raiders, on the other hand, have pulled off another blockbuster with the addition of pass rusher Chandler Jones to stay up with the AFC West arms race, which has dominated free agency and fortified squads with big names after big names.
