The Davante Adams era in Green Bay is officially over. The Packers have agreed to trade the star receiver to the Raiders in a blockbuster move that will see multiple picks — including Las Vegas’ first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft — go back to Green Bay, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and confirmed by CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora. The Washington Post is reporting the Packers will receive Las Vegas’ first-rounder (No. 22) and second-rounder (No. 53) in next month’s NFL Draft.
Along with landing with a new team, Adams — who was previously hit with the franchise tag by the Packers — receives a new contract with the Raiders that makes him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL. Specifically, Adams’ new contract is worth $141.25 million over five years, giving him an average annual salary of $28.25 million, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
The franchise tag was a point of contention between Adams and the Packers and was the primary catalyst for this trade being executed. While it would have paid the receiver $20.145 million fully guaranteed for the 2022 season, Adams was looking for a long-term extension and the two sides were reportedly far apart in their negotiations. This trade also comes off the heels of the All-Pro pass-catcher informing the team that he would not play on the franchise tag. With that in mind, a resolution — either a trade or an extension — was on the horizon in some capacity. Now, we know it’s the former, and Adams will be playing elsewhere going forward.
Adams has been the NFL’s best receiver for the past few seasons and will now be joining a Raiders team where his college roommate and former quarterback at Fresno State, Derek Carr, is the starter. A possible reunion between Adams and Carr in Las Vegas had been a topic of conversation dating to last summer when the receiver had free agency on the horizon. Back then, Adams noted that it would be a “dream” to reunite with his former quarterback and close friend. Now, that dream has come to fruition.
As it relates to Adams’ former team in the Packers, a natural question in the aftermath of this trade is how quarterback Aaron Rodgers — who just agreed to a four-year, $200 extension with Green Bay — feels about this move. The NFL Network reports that the reigning league MVP was aware that Adams would never play for the Packers again as he was negotiating his deal. Meanwhile, Rob Demovsky of ESPN reports that Green Bay was willing to pay Adams equally to what the Raiders are giving him with this new deal, but the receiver preferred to play elsewhere.
