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Packers normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst referred to utilizing a franchise tag on Davante Adams as a final resort final week when assembly with the native Inexperienced Bay media. The All-Professional extensive receiver is strictly the kind of participant that sometimes will get franchised, though the final time the Packers used the designation was in 2010 on defensive sort out Ryan Pickett.
Adams is the NFL‘s best extensive receiver since signing his expiring four-year contract extension on the finish of the 2017 season. He leads the NFL in receptions (432), receiving yards (5,310) and landing catches (47) throughout this span. Adams set the Packers single season document for receiving yardage with 1,553 yards in 2021. He additionally had 123 catches to interrupt his personal crew document together with 11 receiving touchdowns.
The Packers have lower than every week to keep away from the final resort situation. The deadline for NFL groups to designate a franchise participant is 4 p.m. ET on March 8. Gutekunst indicated there’s been “fixed communication” with Adams and his representatives throughout his media session on Tuesday on the NFL Scouting Mix in Indianapolis.
The Packers have already got a difficult wage cap scenario and not using a $20.12 million franchise tag for Adams. After getting into the offseason roughly $50 million over the projected $208.2 million 2022 wage cap, the Packers have began reducing the overage by restructuring a number of contracts (sort out David Bakhtiari, defensive sort out Kenny Clark, working again Aaron Jones). The overage would not consider Adams’ franchise tag. The $20.12 million would develop into a Inexperienced Bay wage cap cost as quickly because the designation is made.
Might the Packers and Adams attain a long-term deal?
The Packers and Adams weren’t near reaching an settlement throughout negotiations final offseason. Adams needed to interchange DeAndre Hopkins because the NFL’s highest paid extensive receiver. The Packers weren’t keen to acknowledge the $27.25 million per 12 months new cash common for the two-year extension Hopkins obtained from the Cardinals in 2020 as a result of he had three years remaining when he signed. The Hopkins deal is an outlier within the extensive receiver market. Titans extensive receiver Julio Jones is second on the place on the three-year extension he signed with the Falcons in 2019 averaging $22 million per 12 months.
Shortly after the Packers have been eradicated within the divisional playoffs by the 49ers, studies of Adams wanting $30 million per 12 months on a brand new contract, which is extraordinarily bold, surfaced. Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt, 2021’s NFL Defensive Participant of the 12 months, is the league’s highest paid non-quarterback at $28,002,750 per 12 months.
A protracted-term deal could be helpful for the Packers from a wage cap standpoint. Adams’ 2022 cap quantity might simply be lower than half of his franchise tag.
An Adams deal may have to set a brand new commonplace for a signing bonus with non-quarterbacks. Rams perennial All-Professional defensive sort out Aaron Donald at present holds mark at $40 million. For instance, Adams signing a five-year cope with a $42.5 million signing bonus and a $1.25 million 2022 wage would have a $9.75 million 2022 cap quantity.
A positive money circulation would seemingly even be a necessity due to how Inexperienced Bay buildings veteran contracts. The one assured cash in Inexperienced Bay offers is a signing bonus. The lone exception is quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose offers have typical contract ensures. The larger offers include third or fifth day of the league 12 months roster bonuses within the second and third years. The roster bonuses are alleged to be substitutes for added contract ensures. The general ensures in Inexperienced Bay contracts are normally lower than comparable offers on different groups.
How Rodgers’ choice impacts Adams
An essential piece of the puzzle is Rodgers’ upcoming choice about his soccer future. Rodgers has urged that he’ll determine whether or not he desires to stay in Inexperienced Bay, search a commerce or retire earlier than the 15 day franchise participant designation interval ends to be delicate to Adams’ scenario. The Packers and Rodgers’ camp reportedly are having discussions a few short-term extension that may make Rodgers the NFL’s highest paid participant ought to he need to proceed enjoying in Inexperienced Bay. Rodgers turning into the league’s first $50 million per 12 months participant would not be a shock.
Gutekunst referred to as the Rodgers choice and an Adams franchise tag separate conditions in Tuesday’s handle to the media. That is probably not a good characterization. Rodgers committing to the Packers past the 2022 season when his contract is about to run out ought to give Adams extra leverage in negotiations. To be able to preserve Rodgers within the fold, assurances that Adams can be in Inexperienced Bay at the least so long as any extension he indicators in all probability wanted to be made.
Adams made it clear final offseason {that a} Rodgers departure would affect his personal selections about his profession. He reiterated this stance close to the tip of the common season. As a former agent, my interpretation of Adams’ feedback is the Packers might want to pay him a premium if he’s going to be catching passes on a go ahead foundation from 2020 first spherical decide Jordan Love, an unproven commodity, as an alternative of the winner of the final two NFL MVP awards.
Adams ought to attempt to keep away from at nearly all prices enjoying underneath a franchise tag with out Rodgers throwing to him. Allen Robinson is a cautionary story for a franchise participant having an inexperienced quarterback. He thrived with the Bears earlier than 2021 eleventh general decide Justin Fields‘ arrival. Robinson had the NFL’s fourth most receptions (200) and receiving yards (2,397) over the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
2021 was Robinson’s worst NFL season (aside from 2017 when he tore his left ACL within the Jaguars season opener). Robinson had 36 catches for 410 yards with one landing in 12 video games, which might partially be attributed to an absence of chemistry with Fields. One factor Robinson would not have to fret about is a second consecutive franchise tag as a result of it can value the Bears $21.556 million.
Some type of statistical drop-off for Adams, who turns 30 in December, would appear inevitable with a brand new quarterback. Age and a decline in manufacturing would seemingly be held towards Adams if he hit the open market in 2023 underneath these circumstances.
Might Adams be traded?
It is laborious to think about the Packers letting Adams go away in free company this 12 months for only a 2023 third spherical compensatory draft decide at finest due to the extra cap points with the franchise tag if Rodgers is not part of the equation. Franchising Adams and buying and selling him would make extra sense.
The return for Adams in a commerce ought to significantly exceed any compensatory decide. The Texans despatched shockwaves by the NFL in March 2020 by buying and selling Hopkins and a 2020 fourth spherical decide to the Cardinals in change for working again David Johnson, a 2020 second spherical decide and a 2021 fourth spherical decide. The overall consensus across the NFL was the Texans bought fleeced by the Cardinals.
The draft capital the Vikings obtained for extensive receiver Stefon Diggs could also be extra indicative of what the Packers might get for Adams. The Payments gave up a 2020 first spherical decide, a 2020 fifth spherical decide, a 2020 sixth spherical and a 2021 fourth spherical decide to get Diggs and a 2020 seventh spherical decide hours after Hopkins was dealt.
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