Davante Adams and the Green Bay Packers’ season ended earlier than anyone in the organization had anticipated that it would. After earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the second consecutive year and having a bye week, the Packers were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.
It was a major letdown for a Packers team that had Super Bowl aspirations. They have found a ton of success under Matt LaFleur during the regular season, but have not been able to get over the hump in the postseason, losing two of the last three years to the 49ers.
Now, the organization will turn its attention to the offseason. The Packers could look drastically different in 2022, as Aaron Rodgers could be on the move. His No. 1 target, wide receiver Davante Adams, could also have a new home.
Adams is hitting free agency and could very well be playing somewhere else next season, especially if Rodgers is moved. Where could he end up? Here are three teams who should pursue the All-Pro Adams in NFL free agency.
3. New York Jets
Depending on what Davante Adams is looking to accomplish in free agency will determine which teams are legitimate suitors. If he is looking to break the bank with the biggest contract he can land, the New York Jets could be a viable suitor.
New York enters the offseason as one of the teams with the most cap space in the NFL. If they want to aggressively pursue Adams, they will have the means to do so.
Adams would be an excellent addition to a team’s offense that has lacked explosive playmakers for years. Bringing him in as a bonafide No. 1 option would push Corey Davis into a No. 2 role that he is better suited for and Elijah Moore, who had a great rookie season, into the slot.
That is a trio that Zach Wilson should be able to find some success with. Upgrading the weapons around Wilson should be the goal for New York’s front office and there isn’t one better on the market than Adams. However, selling him on a rebuilding team would be tough, so the Jets may have to overpay to get him in town.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders hold a distinct advantage when it comes to courting Davante Adams than other teams do. They have Derek Carr, who was Adams’ teammate in college at Fresno State.
Last summer, Adams said that it ‘would be a dream’ to play with Carr again in the NFL. The feeling was seemingly mutual from Carr. This is a partnership that could be recreated in the NFL as the Raiders have a need at the wide receiver spot.
Las Vegas has tried to upgrade via the NFL Draft but has not been successful in doing so. Hunter Renfrow was excellent, stepping up in the absence of Darren Waller as Carr’s go-to receiver. But the other two receivers they have selected in recent drafts, Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards, have not panned out.
Adding Adams to the mix would give Carr the high-end WR that he has been without during his entire career. Adding him alongside Waller and Renfrow would make this Raiders offense one of the best units in the NFL.
When you have to keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers in your division, you need some weapons of your own and Adams would be a great upgrade.
1. Chicago Bears
The NFC North has been run by the Packers for decades. But, the 2022 opportunity would present a chance for the rest of the division to step up and take the crown.
Green Bay is not only facing a potential salary-cap crunch, they could lose two of their most important players. Imagine if one of Green Bay’s biggest rivals in the Chicago Bears were able to poach Davante Adams away?
The Bears have a lot of money to spend in free agency and veteran Allen Robinson likely isn’t going to come back. They have a glaring need at the wide receiver position as Justin Fields needs more weapons other than Darnell Mooney to throw the ball to.
Adams could step right in and help elevate this offense. Chicago has seen first-hand how dominant he could be and would love to have him flip sides and join them. But similarly to the Jets, it would be fair to question if Adams wants to join a team that needs an overhaul as big as Chicago.
There are some pieces to work with here, however. Fields has shown flashes of being a franchise quarterback, so providing him with a bonafide No. 1 weapon in Adams could help elevate this offense to the next level and challenge for a playoff spot in 2022.
