The Green Bay Packers managed to keep reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field but the cost they had to pay might as well not be worth it. Even despite juggling with the salary cap, enforcing pay cuts, and restructuring deals, they still lost Davante Adams.
Adams and Rodgers posted a picture referencing Michael Jordan’s ‘The Last Dance’ before the start of last season. And, even though Rodgers eventually came back, it was—indeed— their last season together.
Nonetheless, the latest reports state that, despite their tough cap situation, the Packers still offered him as much money as the Raiders. Eventually, it all came down to choosing Derek Carr over Rodgers.
NFL Rumors: Davante Adams Wanted To Play With Derek Carr
“NFL Network reported that the Raiders and Adams have also agreed to terms on a five-year, $141.25 million contract ($28.5 million per year),” Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reported. “According to sources, the Packers were willing to pay Adams as much, if not more, than the Raiders paid him.”
“Money and structure of the contract were not considered the issue,” the report added. “Ultimately, the move came down to Adams wanting to play with Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, one of his best friends and his college quarterback at Fresno State.”
Aaron Rodgers Knew This Was Coming
Notably, it’s not like Rodgers was blindsided by this. Rodgers knew Adams wasn’t comfortable with the organization and wanted to leave. Apparently, that didn’t affect Rodgers’ decision to stay:
“According to sources, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was aware of Adams’ disconnect with the team,” Schneidman said. “One source said Rodgers knew this was coming even before he signed his new contract with Green Bay, though another source close to the situation added that Rodgers still believed Adams would remain a Packer in 2022.”
“After all, Adams said himself he wanted to be the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, and sources say the Packers were willing to exceed DeAndre Hopkins’ $27.25 million average annual salary to do that,”Schneidman concluded.
The Packers now have a receiving corps consisting of Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard, Amari Rodgers, Malik Taylor, Juwann Winfree, David Moore, Rico Gafford, and Josh Malone. Needless to say, they need to do something about this.
