Some people find beauty in nature. Chad Johnson finds beauty on the football field — at least whenever Davante Adams is running routes for the Green Bay Packers.
The retired Cincinnati Bengals star took an opportunity to recognize Adams in a tweet on Sunday afternoon, describing his route-running abilities as the “purest form of art.” While Johnson is merely echoing a sentiment Adams’ teammates have been preaching, the praise is noteworthy considering it comes from a wideout who collected more than 10,000 yards in his 11-year NFL career.
Adams is rightly catching the attention of NFL greats after establishing himself as one of the league’s most talented receivers over the past few years. He finished his sixth season with 83 receptions for 997 yards and five touchdowns despite missing four games with a turf toe injury, adding another 17 catches, 298 yards and two scores in the Packers’ two playoff games.
“There’s nowhere you can’t put Davante,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said recently at the NFL Scouting Combine. “Davante can go anywhere on the field.”
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has also spoken highly of his favorite passing target with an unstated connection between them that has produced dozens of highlight-worthy plays over the years, reminiscent of the famed passer’s relationship with former Packers star Jordy Nelson.
The two of them put the league on notice when Adams caught 111 passes for a career-high 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns during the 2018 season, and he could potentially top those numbers in 2020 if he plays the entire season, especially with the right offensive upgrades in the offseason.
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Finding Help for Adams Among Top Offseason Priorities
The Packers can guarantee Adams will be back in 2020 and ready to play, but it less certain who will be lining up on the opposite side of the field from him. There are some options on roster who can still make an impression in Year 2 of the new system, though finding outside help through free agency or the draft — or maybe both — seems like a forgone conclusion at this point.
The Packers also still need to find a new wide receivers coach after parting ways with Alvis Whitted earlier in the offseason. LaFleur confirmed at the Combine the team is still planning to hire one in the near future, but he didn’t say they were looking exclusively for someone with veteran experience.
“I think it’s more about fit,” LaFleur said. “We’ve got a lot of guys (on staff) who have a lot of experience, and it’s about trying to find the right fit, not only for our staff but for our players and for them to go out and perform at their best.”
While the Packers could be just days away from hiring a new positions coach, the decision could as easily wait until after the NFL Draft in April. The Packers met with numerous pass-catchers during the Combine and could end up using their No. 30 overall pick to bring one of them to Green Bay next season. Maybe they want to know which they will choose before deciding who should mold him.
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Former All-Pro Receiver Pays Massive Compliment to Davante Adams