The era of Davante Adams in Green Bay has officially come to an end. The Packers have agreed to trade the star wide receiver to the Raiders in a blockbuster move that will see several picks, including Las Vegas’ first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, return to Green Bay. Adam Schefter of ESPN and confirmed by CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora. The Washington Post reports that the Packers will receive a first-round (No. 22) and second-round (No. 53) Las Vegas player in the NFL Draft next month.
Along with a touchdown on the new team, Adams, previously named a franchise by the Packers, gets a new contract with the Raiders that makes him the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL. Specifically, Adams’ new five-year contract is worth $141.25 million, giving him an average annual salary of $28.25 million. according to Jan Rapoport of NFL Network.
The franchise tag was a point of contention between Adams and the Packers and was a major catalyst for this deal. Although he would have paid the recipient $20.145 million with a full guarantee for the 2022 season, Adams has been looking for a long-term extension and the two sides are reportedly far apart in their negotiations. This trade also came after an All-Pro player informed the team that he would not be playing under the franchise tag. With that in mind, a resolution—either an exchange or an extension—was more or less on the horizon. Now we know it’s the first and Adams will play elsewhere in the future.
Adams has been the NFL’s top wide opener for the past few seasons and will now join the Raiders, where his college roommate and former Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr is a starter. A possible reunion between Adams and Carr in Las Vegas has been a topic of conversation since last summer, with free rein on the horizon. At the time, Adams noted that reuniting with his former protector and close friend would be “a dream come true”. Now this dream has come true.
As for Adams’ former team at the Packers, this trade raises a natural question: How does quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who just agreed to a $200 four-year extension with Green Bay, feel about the move. That NFL Network Reports that the league’s reigning MVP knew Adams would never play for the Packers again as he negotiated his deal. Meanwhile, Rob Demovski of ESPN reports that Green Bay was willing to pay Adams what the Raiders are giving him on this new deal, but the recipient chose to play elsewhere.