NFL Insider: Aaron Rodgers & ‘Frustrated’ Davante Adams Interested in Broncos?

Broncos Aaron Rodgers Davante Adams

Getty Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams after scoring a touchdown

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams are interested in teaming up with the Denver Broncos, according to a new report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz on January 25.

Rumors have surrounded Rodgers’s future in Green Bay for a while now, and with a need at quarterback and a competitive roster, the Broncos have naturally been linked to Rodgers in trade rumors.

In fact, Broncos’ running back Melvin Gordon tweeted about Rodgers joining the Broncos on Saturday, January 22.

Adams’s interest is more of a surprise. Schultz stated that Adams has become “increasingly frustrated” with the Packers “given his friendship with Rodgers.”

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Nathaniel Hackett Linked to Rodgers & Adams

Packers’ offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is one of the finalists for Denver’s head coaching vacancy. Hackett had an eight-hour interview with the Broncos on Monday, January 24.

Hackett is “very likely” to become the Broncos’ next head coach, according to Schultz.

Hackett has served as the Packers’ offensive coordinator for the past three years. If Rodgers and Adams are interested in leaving Green Bay, Hackett would seemingly boost the Broncos’ chances of recruiting the two superstars.

Schultz noted that Hackett has a “positive relationship” with both Rodgers and Adams.


Denver in a Perfect Position to Acquire Rodgers & Adams

Adams is set to become a free agent this offseason, and he will command a large deal on the open market. Spotrac estimates Adams’s market value to be $25.8 million per year.

It will be difficult for the Packers to re-sign Adams, even if he decided to return. They currently have -$45.8 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. The front office will have to restructure some contracts or trade some valuable players to create room to re-sign Adams.

Conversely, the Broncos currently have $44.8 million in available cap space. Denver should be able to sign Adams to a contract in free agency outright.

In addition, the Broncos have the assets to make the Packers a strong offer for Rodgers. They have five of the top 100 picks in the 2022 NFL draft, including the ninth overall pick.

However, the Broncos would need to fit Rodgers’s large contract under the cap, as well. For 2022, Rodgers carries a cap hit of $46.4 million for the Packers, but in a potential trade, the team acquiring Rodgers would receive a lower cap hit. Part of Rodgers’s cap hit is a $16.3 million signing bonus, which the Packers would still be liable for.

The Broncos will likely need to open up around $10 million in space, which should not be difficult. They can free up approximately $10.6 million in cap space by restructuring Garett Bolles’s contract.

Otherwise, they can open up additional space by including players in a potential trade offer. Schultz mentioned including wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in a potential trade with the Packers.

Many teams will, undoubtedly, be interested in Rodgers and Adams, but Denver is one of the few teams with the combination of assets and cap space to realistically acquire the pair.