It was March 2022. There was a rumor that Davante Adams had requested a trade out of Green Bay. At the time, Adams was one of the best, if not the best, wide receivers in the game. Like many of you at the time, I still believed the Packers and Adams would reach an agreement on a new contract. He seemed destined to be a Packer for life. Aaron Rodgers was still the Packer’s quarterback and there is no denying their on-field chemistry.
As a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan, I remember where I was when news of the trade was made public. I was walking on the treadmill while reading a book. I can’t remember what book it was, but I do remember that moment. Suddenly, my phone started blowing up. I had never gotten 6 or 7 texts in 20 seconds. Friends and family had heard about the trade and wanted to know my reaction.
What Happened in Green Bay?
Adams played at Fresno St with Derek Carr who was the quarterback of the Raiders at the time. In an interview, Adams said, “I didn’t come here to be cute and just hang out with Derek (Carr) and all of that, I want to get that trophy at the end of the year.” This puzzled me, and I knew there had to be more to it. The Raiders weren’t considered contenders, and Derek Carr has never won a playoff game. Plus, the Packers were in a much better spot to win a championship.
The Netflix documentary “Receiver” sheds light on his issues with the Packers. Adams was offered a contract extension “south of 20 million per year.” That was well below top WR money at the time. Adams was clearly frustrated by the low-ball offer. He would go on to say the uncertainty of Aaron Rodgers’s future was also a factor. Adams would sign a 5-year 140 million dollar contract extension with the Raiders that averages 28 million a year.
The Packer’s Fallout
The Packers acquired the Raiders 1st and 2nd-round picks in the 2022 draft for Adams. As a draft geek and believer in building your team through the draft, I was tentatively excited. However, part of me was also worried about how they would replace Adam’s production. A lot of fans believed that the Packers needed to add weapons around Adams even before the trade.
The 2022 season did not go the way the Packers expected. The offense was not the same without Adams. They finished 8-9 and the leading receiver was Allen Lazard with just 788 yards. It would be Aaron Rodgers’s last season in Green Bay. The Packers decided it was time to pass the quarterback reigns to Jordan Love. Rodgers would be traded to the Jets in April of 2023.
Packers Draft Picks
The Packers went into the draft with two first and two second-round picks The Packers took linebacker Quay Walker out of Georgia with the Raider’s 1st-rounder. It was a shocking selection because most draft analysts expected Walker to go in the 2nd round. He was 39th on the consensus board but went 22nd overall. Then they used both 2nd round picks to move up and take wide receiver Christian Watson out of North Dakota State. It was a welcome pick by most fans and analysts because of the need at WR.
Let’s just say Quay Walker has not been good. If we are honest, he has not played well at all. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. He struggles mightily in coverage and does not have the instincts you covet in a middle linebacker. Many times, he is a step slow in recognizing the route in the passing game. Other times he is too eager to get to the ball carrier and takes himself out of the run play.
Walker’s strength is blitzing the quarterback. He’s extremely athletic, but I don’t believe he should be playing middle linebacker. I am a little surprised they have not moved him to edge rusher like the Cowboys did with Micah Parsons. Walker is not the player Parsons is. Not even close. But the Cowboys noticed early on that Parsons’ strength was rushing the passer. It’s the same for Walker.
Deep Ball Threat
In the 2022 draft, the Packers needed a receiver, especially one that could stretch the field. So it made sense when Packers GM Brian Gutekunst traded up to the 2nd pick in the 2nd round to get Christian Watson. He’s had hamstring issues in his career and missed 8 games last season. Watson did some testing at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, and it was determined that Watson has a muscle imbalance in his legs. That was what was causing the injured hamstrings.
Watson worked to fix this imbalance and the Packers are hopeful the hamstring issues are a thing of the past. In his career, Watson has had a few outstanding performances but has been used as a decoy in most games. In today’s NFL, defenses are playing a lot of two-high safety looks to try to take away big plays for receivers like Watson. You can read about that here.
Because of this defensive trend, Watson can still be effective as a decoy. The Packers often send him deep on post or go routes. When defensive backs run with Watson to prevent the big play, it opens up the field for other receivers on the team. When you’re 6-foot-4 with elite speed, the defense has to pay attention to you. While Jayden Reed is the Packer’s leading receiver, you can argue Watson is the most important. Defenses don’t want to give up the big play, so they must scheme to prevent Watson from beating you over the top.
Adams as a Raider
From the Raider’s perspective, they got a future Hall of Fame receiver for two and a half years. His production dropped off, but he has not had a quarterback close to as good as Aaron Rodgers throwing to him. It was strange that the Raiders made a big splash by acquiring Carr’s college teammate and then moving on from Carr the next season. The Raiders didn’t have a succession plan at quarterback.
I am not sure what the plan was when they traded for Adams. It certainly did not go the way they were hoping. The Raiders hired a new GM earlier this year in Tom Telesco. Adams, clearly frustrated in Las Vegas, requested a trade for the second time in his career. I understand why Adams wanted out. You won’t win a championship if your quarterback is Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew.
Telesco made the right move in taking what they could get for Adams. The Raiders got the Jet’s 3rd rounder that can become a 2nd rounder. To get a 2nd round pick, Adams must be an All-Pro or he must be on the active roster for the AFC Championship game or the Super Bowl. The Jets currently sit at 2-4.
Final Thoughts
The fact that the Raiders gave up a 1st and a 2nd and likely only get back a 3rd-rounder back has to sting. Telesco understands the Raiders need to rebuild. Why not get what you can for Adams as well as future salary cap savings? The Packers could have done more with the picks. But, Brian Gutekunst has done an excellent job in rebuilding the wide receiver room in Green Bay. With the emergence of Jordan Love as a star, the Packers have become a contender this season. The Packers won this trade and it’s one Raiders fans will want to forget. As far as the Jets go, we will just have to wait and see.
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