Packers: The time to move on from Davante Adams is now

Sometimes in sports, it’s difficult to separate your emotions from the harsh reality of business decisions. Which is exactly the quandary the Green Bay Packers find themselves needing to sort through entering this off-season.

The front office has painted themselves into a financial corner heading into the new league year – because they pushed their chips all-in on the 2021-22 season, and eventually fell flat.

Not only do the Packers need to make a decision on the future of Aaron Rodgers, but they’ll also need to figure out what the future holds for All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams.

It has been rumored that Adams is looking to get paid in excess of $30 million a year. For a team that is nearly $50 million over the cap already, paying an aging wideout, no matter how talented he may be – just isn’t the answer for a franchise potentially headed into a transition phase.

That’s why the Packers need to make an unpopular decision and part ways with Adams this off-season. This of course has nothing to do with his on-field production, and everything to do with money and ultimately protecting the team’s future.

So, before you come unhinged at the prospect of moving on from Adams, at least hear out my rationale for why it would be beneficial for the franchise to do so.

Reasons not to make Adams the highest paid wide receiver

• Davante Adams hasn’t played a full season in the last four years
• The Packers are 7-0 without Davante Adams since 2019
• The team employing the highest paid WR has finished above .500 just once over the last decade
• The team employing the highest paid WR hasn’t won the Super Bowl since 2008

When the Packers dish out high-dollar contract extensions, it’s typically to pay an ascending player for what they think they can become – not what they’ve already done. The bottom line is it just doesn’t pay to commit top dollar to wide receivers, especially ones pushing 30.

This point is especially true given the fact that Matt LaFleur has proven he can produce with a room full of role players at the position. That’s not to say wide receiver should be neglected altogether, because that’s not true at all, there are just much better ways to spend your money.

I’m also not suggesting that Green Bay just let him walk away scotch free, because that seems counterproductive. A good front office should slap the franchise tag on their All-Pro wide receiver, and trade him for draft capital that can be used to assist in replacing some of his production. If they have any confidence in their ability to draft and develop pass-catchers, this seems like the most cost-effective route to go.

Adams wants to become the league’s highest paid receiver, and he absolutely should be, just not by the Packers. As painful as it may be, now is the right time for the Packers to move on from Davante Adams and receive compensation for him with his value at an all-time high.