The Packers are not letting Davante Adams walk in free agency. The chase for a multiyear extension, however, continues.
Green Bay placed the franchise tag on arguably the top wideout in football, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday. The non-exclusive tender was later confirmed on the NFL transaction wire.
The move might be a placeholder for a bigger pact. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst expressed in late February his desire to strike a long-term deal with Adams. The two sides have until July 15 to reach agreement on a contract that would supersede the projected $20.145 million tag for Adams, per Over The Cap.
Aaron Rodgers' most-trusted target has certainly proven to be worth much more. And with the MVP quarterback agreeing to terms on a new contract to remain in Green Bay, securing Adams for at least the 2022 season became seemingly inevitable.
Over the past four seasons, Adams leads all NFL wideouts in receptions (432), receiving yards (5,310) and receiving touchdowns (47) in the regular season. He was previously No. 1 on Gregg Rosenthal’s Top 101 NFL free agents of 2022 list. Though the club hasn't been able to satisfy its Super Bowl hunger, the two-time All-Pro has feasted in the postseason. He's caught at least eight passes in all five of the Packers' playoff games since 2019, including nine receptions in all three of their defeats.
Gutekunst recently asserted Green Bay is still in position "to compete for championships," adding that Adams plays a big factor in that equation. Retaining him was a must in the Packers' efforts to get over the playoff hump. His career-high 1,553 receiving yards in 2021 were 1,040 more than the next teammate, some of whom will be moving on as the team sits tens of millions over the salary cap.
Such figures could cloud upcoming negotiations between Adams and the only team he's ever played for. At the very least, he'll likely spend another year of his prime in green and gold.
