Getty Jon Gruden with Henry Ruggs.
The Green Bay Packers are coming off a season where they were very close to making the Super Bowl. Despite prolonged success for the storied franchise, things aren’t looking great right now. Superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers clearly isn’t happy with the team anymore and wants out. The Packers have yet to grant his wish so the team is in limbo until the situation is resolved.
If Rodgers refuses to play for Green Bay again, that could open a set of problems for the team. All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams is entering a contract year. With his quarterback seemingly done with the team, it’s fair to assume that he’s not going to sign an extension quite yet. That could open the door for a team like the Las Vegas Raiders. Quarterback Derek Carr has been open about that the fact that he plans to recruit Adams next offseason. the two men played together at Fresno State and remain friends.
Without Rodgers on the Packers, Las Vegas and Carr will look very appealing to Adams. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report believes Green Bay should get ahead of things and trade their star wide receiver to the Raiders for Henry Ruggs and a first-round pick:
Adams has suggested his future with the Packers could be cloudy if Rodgers doesn’t remain in Green Bay, and he has said “it would be a dream” to play with college teammate/current Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. So this isn’t out of the question as part of a domino effect.
In this case, I’d watch for the Raiders to go all-in by trading away their 2020 first-round pick (Ruggs) as well as a 2022 first-rounder for one of the sport’s most productive offensive players. And if that were to go down, Las Vegas would have a good chance at contending for at least a wild-card spot in the wild AFC West, while the Packers would probably be looking at a rebuilding year in the NFC North.
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The Raiders Give up Too Much in This Trade
If Adams was signed to a long-term deal in the $18 to $22 million range, the Raiders should make the above deal in a heartbeat. However, that’s not the case. Adams is about to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. The deal could end up being in the ballpark of $30 million a year.
The Raiders aren’t going to give up last year’s first-round pick and next year’s just to have Adams a year before he hits free agency. He’s a transcendent talent but Las Vegas has a number of things working for them while the Packers don’t have a ton of leverage. A first-round pick or Ruggs could be fair for the Raiders to ensure that they lockdown Adams. Anything more is too much until he signs a new contract.
Raiders Should Monitor Adams’ Situation
While the Raiders shouldn’t sell the farm for Adams, they should be watching the situation closely. As Gagnon pointed out, the wide receiver said it would be a “dream” to play with Carr again. That gives the Raiders a huge advantage should Adams decide to leave the Packers.
He’s arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. Since being drafted by the team, it’s fair to say that Carr has never had an elite No. 1 wide receiver. Adams fixes that issue for a long time and pairing him with Darren Waller would give the Raiders one of the best passing attacks in the league.
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