It's Far Too Soon to Panic About Davante Adams

Friday’s announcement about negotiations breaking off between the Packers and Davante Adams’ agent was hardly good news for Packers fans. When you add it to the ongoing Aaron Rodgers drama, you can see the frustration Packer nation is feeling throughout social media.

But there are substantial differences between Rodgers’ situation and Adams’. When it comes to Adams, fans need to take a deep breath and let the negotiation process play out.

While both Rodgers and Adams are under contract for 2021, the Pro Bowl wide receiver has told reporters he intends to show up for training camp this week and to play out the remaining year on his deal this season. That fact alone gives the Packers a greater opportunity to work out a new deal with Adams.

The former Fresno State star won’t become a free agent until next offseason and that means he will have a lot of motivation to have another strong season to create a greater demand for his services whether it’s with the Pack or on the free agent market. The Packers should see Adams at his best in 2021, no matter which quarterback is under center opening day.

Adams is in the prime of his career right now and this will be his best chance to earn top dollar. He will probably be on the downside of his career by the time his next contract expires so obviously, he and his agent know how important earning top dollar will be for him when he signs on the dotted line.

Right now, according to multiple reports, the issue is about money. Adams wants to be the top paid receiver in the NFL, something he deserves to be. The Packers realize that it will take a lot of money to re-sign Adams, the issue is working out the final numbers and figuring out how it fits under the salary cap.

Adams is using DeAndre Hopkins’ recent extension as the benchmark for his contract. The extension was two years at $54.5 million. The Packers are saying the average of Hopkins’ total contract isn’t as high and the entire deal should be taken into consideration when figuring out who the top paid receiver is.

The next highest paid receiver right now is Tennessee’s Julio Jones who is earning $22 million per season and the Packers want to base negotiations on that deal.

The two sides will have to figure out what benchmark to use to determine how much Adams should be paid if he signs a new deal.

The Rodgers negotiations and Tae’s negotiations are also connected. If Rodgers signs an extension, it will free up some money for the Packers to pay Adams. It also gives Adams additional incentive to stay in Green Bay as he and Rodgers have outstanding chemistry together. The two of them work so well together and often can communicate with a wink or a nod or just a look to change plays at the line of scrimmage. Adams set a franchise record with 115 catches last season despite missing four games and he and Rodgers have been teammates since Adams joined the Packers in 2014.

The Rodgers situation notwithstanding, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst has a solid track record of re-signing the key players he wants to keep before they hit free agency. In the past 12 months, the Pack has re-signed defensive lineman Kenny Clark, left tackle David Bakhtiari and running back Aaron Jones to new deals before they could reach free agency. Gutekunst has indicated he wants to keep Adams in the fold and he will do all he can to do just that.

Gutekunst will also be under pressure not to lose both his star receiver and his franchise quarterback so that may work in Adams’ favor.

Negotiations are a process. They take time and they work best when there’s a deadline. So, even if the two sides have reached an impasse right now, there is plenty of time for everybody to cool off and take a break before resuming negotiations with a fresh perspective.

The Packers also have the option to use the franchise tag on Adams next year. It would not come cheap and it probably wouldn’t thrill Adams, but that will give the Packers yet another year to negotiate a new deal with their top receiver if it comes to that.

Yes, the impasse between the Packers and Adams is frustrating. The thought of potentially losing both the reigning NFL MVP and one of the league’s best receivers in back-to-back years is hardly appealing for fans. But unlike the Rodgers saga, the Adams situation seems more concrete and clear-cut and one that has an easier solution.

So, exhale, Packers fans. Let the negotiations play out and don’t panic. The Packers still have time to work out a new deal with Davante Adams. Now, we have to hope that they will.