NEWSLETTER
Free agency is two months away, but there is never a bad time to start dreaming on personnel changes that could happen around the league. Especially when it comes to elite players, at positions of need for the Bears, who could be on the move.
And it counts double when it could be a player who leaves the Green Bay Packers in his dust:
Report: Davante Adams asking for $30M annually https://t.co/wHNXGbymQF
— NBC Sports EDGE Football (@NBCSEdgeFB) January 29, 2022
Packers star receiver Davante Adams is reportedly asking for a contract to pay him $30 million per year. That’s a lot of money, but the 29-year-old pass-catching ace is coming off a 123-catch, 1,553-yard, 11-touchdown season in 2021.
Adams has put up back-to-back seasons with at least 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Plus, he is just one year removed from leading the league in scores (18) and yards per game (98.1). I suppose if anyone is worthy of such a gargantuan receiver contract, it’s Adams. And considering the Bears’ needs at the position — remember, Darnell Mooney is Chicago’s only receiver under contract for 2022 — I’d have no issue with the Bears giving him the bag and calling it a day.
Casuals might say something like have you ever heard of the salary cap? But the salary cap is a myth until further notice. At least it is until the day comes when teams like the Saints ($75M over the 2022 projected cap) and Packers ($50M) have to pay real consequences for the decisions. Until then, I’ll just point to those teams and underscore how — with a little bit of creativity in contract structure — anything is possible.
But $30 million per year for a receiver who turns 30 on Christmas Eve 2022 is still wild as heck. Then again, maybe it isn’t. Adams is a two-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler. He had eight 100-yard catch games in 2021 and has averaged 114 catches, 1,405 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns since the start of the 2016 season. Adams is an elite receiver whose route-running is impeccable and hands are trustworthy. I realize he was catching passes mostly from Aaron Rodgers, but Adams was so good that he made Brett Hundley look passable. Back in 2017, Hundley went 46-for-71 (64.8% completions) with 5 TD, 0 INT, and a 111.4 passer rating when targeting Adams while filling in for an injured Rodgers. In other words, Adams is scheme and QB proof at this stage of the game.
In the end, I struggle to envision the Packers letting Adams go. They can give him the Franchise Tag, which CBS projects to be worth $18.419 million for receivers in 2022. But for Adams, it projects to be $20.12 million. No, it isn’t $30 million, but getting a hair more than $20 million for one year is nothing to sneeze at in the grand scheme of things.
Nevertheless, we’ll keep a close eye on what happens with Adams moving forward. What happens with Adams could have wide-ranging impact on multiple levels. Keep in mind we’re talking about a star on a division rival. One who plays an important position, and could conceivably be a Bears target should he hit free agency. No matter where Adams ends up, what happens with him contractually will significantly impact the market at that position. So, let’s track this as it evolves. And get your popcorn ready. This could get good.
