Latest Packers update won’t make Davante Adams happy

Despite general manager Brian Gutekunst insisting he wants to sign Davante Adams to a long-term contract, the Packers are likely to use the franchise tag for now.

Adams is expected to demand a contract north of $20 million per season if he hits the open market, a deal that would make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.

While the Packers don’t have that kind of money right now, they can make several cap-savvy decisions to get under the expected salary cap. When that occurs, a long-term deal for Adams could be on the table, but per ESPN Packers insider Rob Demovsky, the franchise tag is far more likely.

Demovsky went on the record saying the Packers “will almost certainly” use the tag on Adams. This would give Green Bay until July to potentially work out the long-term contract Adams covets, though doing so might not making him too happy in the interim.

Packers rumors: Davante Adams isn’t going anywhere

This means Adams isn’t going anywhere, unless the Packers choose the location for him via trade. The Packers and Gutekunst hold the right to tag Adams for the time being, and figure out what he and Rodgers plan to do next season.

A tag-and-trade scenario has been discussed amongst the media, in which both Adams and Rodgers play for the Denver Broncos next year. That, at the very least, would give the Packers some draft capital.

But even then, trading away Adams AND Rodgers creates two roster holes, rather than just one to be filled by Jordan Love. Why would the Packers trade away Love’s primary weapon just to appease Rodgers.

The far more likely option, for now, is that the Packers will tag Adams in hopes of reaching a long-term agreement. In doing so, they’ll keep Rodgers in the loop and hope he comes back for at least one more year.