Packers 2022 free agency profile: Will Davante Adams return?
Davante Adams is arguably the No. 1 free agent in all of the NFL this offseason. His future will have a huge impact on the Green Bay Packers, and could also be determined by whether MVP Aaron Rodgers is back or not.
With limited cap space, how can the Packers bring Adams back? And should they sign him to a new deal?
If not, is it time to start over at wide receiver?
Why the Packers re-sign Davante Adams
Adams is the best wide receiver in the NFL. In just the past two seasons, he has made 238 catches for 2,927 yards and 29 touchdowns along with two first-team All-Pro honors.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Packers are “expected” to franchise tag Adams. If Aaron Rodgers commits to staying in Green Bay, one has to believe there’s no way the Packers are letting Adams go.
If Rodgers returns, we can assume it also means Adams will be back. No other QB-WR combination can match this one. If Green Bay is to finally win another Super Bowl with Rodgers, Adams also needs to be there.
Even if Rodgers is gone, it would make sense to bring back Adams. Jordan Love will need a good supporting cast around him, and it doesn’t get much better than Adams, who is one of the top two wide receivers in football, and he ain’t two.
Why the Packers don’t re-sign Davante Adams
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, Adams wants a deal “near $30 million per year”. That would make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
That wouldn’t be easy for the Packers, a team currently sitting $46.5 million over the cap, per Spotrac.
If Rodgers either retires or requests a trade, it’s fair to say this Super Bowl window likely slams shut. At least for the time being while the team enters rebuild mode. That said, would the Packers be better off letting Adams walk and starting over? An option would be to use the franchise tag and look for a trade partner.
If Rodgers is back, the Packers can’t let Adams go. But if Rodgers is gone and this team enters rebuild mode, maybe Adams is also playing elsewhere in 2022.