NFL Trade Rumors: Why LA Chargers should go all-in for WR Davante Adams
Amidst the Aaron Rodgers-Green Bay Packers soap opera, wide receiver Davante Adams and the team broke off their negotiations over a long-term deal.
Adams is entering the final year of his deal and will have a cap hit of $16.7 million this year. In 2020, Davante Adams played in 14 games and totaled 1,374 receiving yards, 18 TDs and caught 77.2% of his targets. He has played all 16 games of a regular season only once in seven years and will turn 29 in 2021.
The Packers and Rodgers seem to have solved their differences as the quarterback reported to training camp. But as per reports, the Packers have made arrangements for Rodgers to leave the team next season. Adams might only be willing to stay in Green Bay as long as his quarterback does, so signing a long-term deal shouldn't be an option for the wide receiver.
Davante Adams and the Los Angeles Chargers are a great fit
The Los Angeles Chargers are a prime spot for Adams and the team should make a big case for acquiring him. Quarterback Justin Herbert seems like the real deal but needs more firepower on offense.
Other than Keenan Allen, there's Mike Williams, who the team doesn't fancy. Jalen Guyton is an up-and-comer and then there's veteran tight end Jared Cook. With Herbert on his rookie deal for the next three years, could the team bring in Davante Adams and sign him to a $20 million-a-year deal?
The Chargers could cut offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga, Mike Williams and defensive lineman Linval Joseph to free up more cap space. The Chargers can take a similar path to the Kansas City Chiefs: pay superstars big money and fill the roster with cheaper options that can hold their own.
In a way, the Chargers are already recruiting Davante Adams. Keenan Allen reached out to Davante Adams on Twitter and both players expressed interest in playing together.
The Chargers will still have to battle the Green Bay Packers, who are hell-bent on keeping Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams around for the 2021 NFL season.
But with Adams set to become a free agent in 2022, the right draft capital and players could force Green Bay to trade their star wide receiver. Could two 1st-rounders and WR Mike Williams be enough? The Chargers won't know if they don't try.