Green Bay Packers fans have been through the wringer this offseason. Yes, they’re often told they’ve been spoiled with two decades of Hall of Fame quarterback play. While that’s true, it doesn’t dismiss the nightmare that this spring and summer have become.
Nobody has any clue what the hell Aaron Rodgers is going to do. Rodgers himself might not know. He’s just having fun playing the grudge game at this point.
The alienation of the franchise quarterback and reigning MVP winner was enough of a debacle to make stomachs churn in Green Bay. Now Davante Adams is flirting with Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders. Please, Brian Gutekunst, Mark Murphy, anyone. Sign Davante Adams to an extension right now. Give him a blank check.
Derek Carr and Davante Adams were former teammates at Fresno State, and they made for a wildly successful quarterback-wide receiver duo. Carr holds the record for most passing yards (12,842) and passing touchdowns (113) in school history. Adams holds the record for most receiving yards in a season in Fresno State history (1,718), most receptions in a single season (131), and most receiving touchdowns overall (38).
Naturally, given the chemistry between the two, the idea of teaming up at some point in the NFL would come up. But why now? Why this offseason? It makes sense, given that Adams’ current deal with Green Bay is set to expire at the end of the 2021 season. With all the Rodgers drama, though, this is pouring a gallon of salt into freshly open wounds for Packers fans.
It all started with Carr speaking to ABC30 in Fresno. In Carr’s defense, he was asked directly about reuniting with Adams at some point.
I’ve learned in this business, you never shut the door on anything. I know that he’s (Adams is) obviously the best receiver — everyone said one of the best, he’s the best receiver in the NFL. The guy is unbelievable. He’s been one of my best friends since we were in college together. I love the guy.
Way to cover all the bases and suck up, Derek. Calling him the best receiver in the NFL, mentioning he’s unbelievable, blah, blah, blah. Stick with your own guys, Carr. Why don’t you worry about getting a rapport down with Henry Ruggs III, so you don’t under-throw him by 15 yards this year while he torches every secondary in sight? Worry about getting John Brown settled in with the Raiders and the Las Vegas lifestyle. Please, for the love of everything holy, leave Davante Adams alone.
Carr’s comments are one thing. Roll your eyes at them if you want. The real dagger is Adams responding the way that he did. It has Packers fans everywhere sitting on their couches sobbing while slamming a pound of cheese curds.
“I love Derek to death,” Adams said. “We’ve got a great friendship and we still communicate really, really consistently. He’s one of my best friends. Obviously, it would be a dream to be able to play with him, but I’m a Packer now. Until that point when we make that decision, I guess we just got to, we’ll see what happens.”
It would be a dream to play with Derek Carr? Can’t say too many receivers have said that before. (This comes from someone who has said Derek Carr is under-appreciated and underrated, but let’s ignore that for now.) Unless hell has frozen over and Derek Carr is, for some godforsaken reason wearing a green and gold uniform, this better not happen unless these two are playing in an alumni game for Fresno State.
The snake in the grass in this whole scenario is Raiders coach Jon Gruden. The man is a loose cannon. He would offer Davante Adams top-tier quarterback money and not blink an eye about it. He’d think it’s normal.
Do you want that guy going after your potential free-agent All-Pro wide receiver after this season? No, you do not. Lock it up, Green Bay.
These are terrifying times for Packers fans. What are Gutekunst and Murphy doing? It feels like they could best be represented with the “This is fine” GIF.
That’s Gutekunst right now. Read the room, man. Figure this stuff out. Are we overreacting? Maybe. Has this been a miserable offseason that doesn’t need any more of these storylines piled on? Yes. It’s as if Packers fans are having anxiety injected straight into their veins, and they can do nothing about it.
While we’re at it, give Jaire Alexander an extension too. Packers fans don’t need the headache of that decision looming like a dark cloud, either. Cap space isn’t a free-for-all situation in the NFL. These are some of the best players in the league at their position. Figure out whether or not Rodgers wants to be here. If he doesn’t, so be it; move on with Jordan Love.
Do not let Adams play without a new contract this season. That scenario isn’t good for anyone except the other 31 teams in the NFL. It’s somewhat baffling that this is taking as long as it has for someone of Adams’ caliber who appears to want to be in Green Bay for the long haul.
The way this offseason has gone, this might as well be the start for the Packers. Who knows what’s next. If Carr and Adams want to be teammates, that’s fine. Give the Raiders a 2022 fifth-round pick for Carr, hand him the clipboard, and let him sit behind Jordan Love after you sign Adams to a long, well-deserved, lucrative contract extension.
