“I got aspirations" - Davante Adams hints possibility of playing with Jordan Love over Aaron Rodgers prompted him to leave Packers
Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers have been two of the core stars of the Green Bay Packers over the last several years. However, that has changed this offseason. Adams is now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders. Many speculated as to why the wide receiver wanted out. Most reasons seem to point at the money.
However, after speaking to the media, it became clear that Jordan Love was a substantial part of the decision. Basically, with Rodgers' career expected to end soon, it would likely leave Jordan Love at the helm of Matt LaFleur's offense. Davante Adams wasn't satisfied playing his last few years under the young quarterback, so he wanted to land elsewhere.
Here's how the wideout put it via a clip shown during a discussion between Mike Florio and Charean Williams on Pro Football Talk:
“We've talked multiple times and we talked throughout the whole process too. And he was aware of where I stood and I was aware of where he stood. And we had talks like what he said the other day. He mentioned we [talked] about his future and what he thinks his duration is in Green Bay, or just [what] football in general would look like."
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Davante Adams continued, calling any time spent after No. 12's retirement a sacrifice:
"That played into my decision as well because of where I'm at in my career. This isn't a shot at anybody or any other quarterbacks. I love Jordan Love. He's a great guy but I got aspirations of doing really, really big things and being remembered. [There] just wasn't really a point in my career that I was willing to sacrifice after a year or two."
He went on, saying that he was offered more money to stay:
"So my decision was to be here, and he respected. He understood Green Bay offered this which is higher than what I was offered [by Las Vegas], and all of that and I'll say it was true. Okay, it was true."
Aaron Rodgers on signing Sammy Watkins: “I was 100% on board with that. I think it’s important you get guys who have a lot to play for, and I think Sammy has the opportunity to continue & travel down a new path in his career … I love the disposition. I really enjoy the person.” https://t.co/fAX0UWXFIm
Davante Adams defended his decision to still leave based on family:
"But like I said, there's much more that goes into it. And family is a big part of it for me. So, geographically, being here, it makes it a lot easier for me to stay connected to my family around."
Davante Adams' contract change
Davante Adams has a new contract heading into 2022, but how much did his bottom line truly change? Here's a quick look at the numbers, courtesy of Spotrac. Adams' last deal came in 2017 and ran until the end of 2021. It was a four year deal worth $58 million with an average salary of $14.5 million.
After signing his new deal, Davante Adams now has a five-year leash worth up to $140 million. The deal runs through 2026 and offers a signing bonus of $19.25 million and an average salary of $28 million. On his new deal, the wide receiver will be covered until the end of his age-34 season.
However, the first year the Raiders could possibly cut him and save money would only be in 2025, thanks to a dropping dead cap cost. Will the wide receiver see the final day of his current deal? If so, Adams may choose to retire the next day, considering it would leave him at a typical retirement age for wide receivers.