On Friday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Green Bay Packers have extended wide receiver Davante Adams’ contract for four years and $59 million.
The deal comes ahead of Davante Adams’ pending free agency this spring. It will include a signing bonus of $18 million and will be heavily front-loaded, according to Adam Schefter.
The fourth-year wide receiver’s production exploded over the last two seasons, scoring 12 touchdowns last year and 10 this year. He developed into a top option for the Packers offense after being drafted in 2014 out of Fresno State.
More details on Davante Adams' new 4-year deal with the Packers: Deal is worth $58.75 million, including $18 million signing bonus and includes $32 million in the first two years, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 29, 2017
Green Bay chose to extend Adams despite having veterans Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson under contract for 2018 as well. Adams’ contract gives the team flexibility this spring, with the potential to cut or renegotiate their deals without losing receiving talent, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
After struggling with dropped passes for much of his career, Adams converted over 62 percent of his targets into catches over the last two seasons. His consistency allowed Green Bay to weather injuries to Cobb and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Nelson experienced a down season this year for Green Bay, accumulating a fraction of his typical production. The downfield threat for which the Packers previously relied on him has disappeared. He averages fewer than 40 yards per game.
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The Packers play the Lions this Sunday. They lost to Detroit in early November without Rodgers. Adams grabbed seven receptions for 53 yards in the contest, but Green Bay failed to respond to an early deficit, scoring both of their touchdowns in the fourth quarter after the game was out of reach.