Davante Adams with the Green Bay Packers catches a pass during a game against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 23, 2018. | Wikimedia/Keith Allison
Davante Adams with the Green Bay Packers catches a pass during a game against the Washington Redskins on Sept. 23, 2018. | Wikimedia/Keith Allison
The Green Bay Packers and star receiver Davante Adams remain locked at a contract impasse after he informed the team he has no intentions of playing the upcoming season under a franchise tag.
Fresh off of inking a new, $200 million deal with MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers that actually decreases his cap hit, the Packers had until March 16 to work out salary cap issues. Because no deal was worked out with Adams by then, the team will take a $20.5 million hit with his contract, USA Today reported.
“Davante Adams has informed the team he won’t play on the franchise tag, and the sides remain far apart on a long-term deal, per sources,” NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted. “It’s all coming to a head. Something has to give.”
The team moved to place the $20 million tag on Adams after the two sides were unable to reach agreement on a long-term deal. With the new deadline looming, reports are the two sides remain far apart on a long term deal, according to USA Today.
With the Packers having used the non-exclusive tag on Adams, he can negotiate a free-agent deal with another team but the Packers would have the right to match any offer or receive two first-round picks in the 2022 draft in compensation, USA Today reported.
"This relationship is not in a great place," Rapoport added during a recent appearance on “Good Morning Football.”
The team still has until mid-summer to reach a long-term agreement with Adams. And while an extension will almost certainly mean a bigger salary for Adams, the team is looking to stretch out the financial commitment over a long period and lower the 2022 cap hit, according to USA Today.
With Adams having finished the 2021 season as third in the league in receiving yards (1,553) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (11), NFL.com reports he is seeking to become the league’s highest paid receiver, surpassing the $27.5 million per year DeAndre Hopkins earns with the Arizona Cardinals.
In 2021, Adams played out the final year of the four-year, $58 million deal he earlier inked with the team.
Without a new agreement, Adams could hold out through all of training camp, and would only be required to show by Week 1 of the regular season to receive payment on the $20.5 million deal.
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