Davante Adams, one of the top receivers in Green Bay Packers history, was traded to Las Vegas in ... [+]
The run was over.
And deep down, Brian Gutekunst knew it.
Gutekunst, the Green Bay Packers general manager, had watched his offense play dreadful football in a 13-10 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 NFC divisional playoffs. Now, with several aging, high-priced players on the roster — and a bloated salary cap that needed immediate fixing — Gutekunst knew this group had gone as far as it could go.
It was time to get younger.
It was time to retool.
So when the Packers and Davante Adams couldn’t agree on a long-term contract — and the star wide receiver wanted out — Green Bay made a franchise-altering move.
The Packers traded Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders for 2022 first- and second round draft picks (No. 22 and 53). Green Bay later sent that 53rd overall pick and another second round selection (No. 59) to Minnesota for the 34th overall pick in that draft.
Green Bay used its draft capital on linebacker Quay Walker and wide receiver Christian Watson, while the Vikings used the 59th pick on guard Ed Ingram.
So, revisiting the deal, Green Bay acquired Walker and Watson for Adams and the pick used on Ingram.
The Packers and Raiders meet Monday night in Las Vegas, 18 months after one of the biggest trades in franchise history. And while it's still early, it’s fair to say the Packers did just fine in the deal.
Adams remains one of the NFL’s elite receivers and has posted 133 catches and 17 touchdowns since the start of the 2022 season.
Walker has been a tackling machine who could become a star if he eliminates the boneheaded plays from his game. Watson has been slowed by injury, but has eight touchdowns in his last nine games.
And Ingram has been a below average starter who’s allowed 14 sacks since the start of the 2022 campaign.
“I like what Green Bay did,” one NFL executive told me this week. “They got two good players that could become stars. And the one thing people forget is what a mess their salary cap was. They had to do something with some of those big contracts.”
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year, $150.8 million contract extension to stay in Green Bay in March, 2022. It’s a deal that is costing the Packers $40.3 million in dead cap money this season.
With Rodgers signed, many immediately assumed that Adams was next. But Green Bay couldn't work out a long-term deal with one of the best receivers in team history and the Packers placed the $20.145 million franchise tag on Adams.
Adams wanted long-term security. He was never going to play under the franchise tag. And with Rodgers hinting at retirement every season, Adams wanted to be re-united with former college teammate Derek Carr in Las Vegas.
With visions of Green Bay’s inept performance against the 49ers still dancing in his head, Gutekunst decided to start retooling the roster.
First, Gutekunst released outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith and offensive lineman Billy Turner, picking up nearly $19 million in salary cap room with those two moves. Three days later, Gutekunst shipped Adams to the Raiders, removed the $20.1M franchise tag from the Packers’ books, and acquired the picks for a pair of young, blossoming players.
Adams then signed a five-year, $140 million deal with Las Vegas — the long-term contract he and the Packers couldn't agree on — one day after becoming a Raider.
“It's never easy moving on from a player and person the caliber of Davante Adams,” Gutekunst said after trading Adams. “We have so much respect for all that Davante gave on and off the field.”
While that’s undoubtedly true, the Packers knew they’d likely hit their ceiling with Rodgers — who was traded this past offseason — and their other aging stars. So Gutekunst started the restructuring process by moving on from Adams.
Here’s how each member of the trade has performed:
Adams was named to his sixth Pro Bowl in 2022 and earned All-Pro honors for a third time. He caught 100 passes and had 14 touchdowns playing with a hodge podge group of quarterbacks.
Adams, who turns 31 later this season, is also off to a strong start this year with 33 catches and three touchdowns through four games.
“Davante was a tough (expletive) cover,” Packers cornerback Eric Stokes said. “He competed his (tail) off. It didn't matter if it was practice, games, walk through, he was going to compete his (tail) off. That’s what made him Davante.”
Watson said he studied Adams for years and was amazed how complete the former Packer was.
“I’ve watched him for a long time. He’s been dominating the league for years,” Watson said. “Obviously his route running ability, his play making ability, his ability to track the ball and use late hands. I don’t really think there’s a receiver that’s like ‘Tae out there. I think he’s in his own world out there and that’s what makes him great.”
The Packers used the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 draft on Walker, a remarkably gifted player who’s been his own worst enemy at times.
Walker led the Packers and ranked No. 2 among NFL rookies with 119 total tackles in 2022. Walker also became the first player in NFL history, though, to be ejected from two games in the same season.
Walker leads the Packers and ranks fifth in the NFL this season with 47 tackles. But he also killed Green Bay’s comeback chances in Week 4 against Detroit when he was penalized for leaping over an offensive lineman during a field goal try.
“In that moment, I was just telling myself not to beat myself up because I know mentally how it can affect me,” Walker said of his penalty against Detroit. “So I was just telling myself just try to stay positive. I know I’m going to get a lot of negative feedback, but it’s just what comes with it.”
While there have been some negatives with Walker, there have been far more positives and the needle is pointing up.
Watson, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.28 seconds coming out of North Dakota State, had eight total touchdowns during his 2022 rookie season.
Watson battled injuries early on in 2022 and had just 10 receptions for 88 yards and zero touchdowns through nine games. Watson erupted over the final eight games, though, with 31 catches for 523 yards (16.9 average) and seven receiving TDs.
Watson missed the first three games of the 2023 campaign with a hamstring injury, but scored a touchdown in his Week 4 return.
If Watson can stay healthy, he could become a star. Right now, though, that’s a big if.
“I know I have it in me,” Watson said this week. “I’ve had some bad luck with injuries. But if I can get past those, I know I can be a great player in this league.”
Green Bay had to give up one of its own second round picks to move up and take Watson. Minnesota then used that second rounder on Ingram, who has been a subpar starter and seems in danger of being benched if Minnesota gets healthy up front.
Overall, the Packers and Raiders have both taken steps back since the Adams trade.
Las Vegas was a playoff team in 2021, but is just 7-14 since. The Raiders released Carr — a big reason Adams wanted to play in Las Vegas — on Feb. 14 and are trying to win with journeyman Jimmy Garoppolo.
The Packers are 10-11 since the trade and missed the playoffs for the first time in the Matt LaFleur-era in 2022. Green Bay opted to start over this offseason, traded Rodgers to the New York Jets, and will have escaped salary cap hell by the start of the 2024 season.
Green Bay has the youngest roster in the NFL and a number of potential young stars that includes Watson and Walker.
If you believe the Packers were never going to win another Super Bowl with Rodgers — as many do — the Adams trade made perfect sense. If you think Green Bay’s aging roster that had disappointing playoff ousters from 2019-2021 could have found a way to achieve greatness in 2022, you probably despise the Adams trade.
“I’m no GM, but I love both of the players we got,” Stokes said. “Hell yeah. I’ll take it.”
So will the Packers.