If QB Aaron Rodgers is waiting for a Davante Adams deal to get done before making a decision, he'll be waiting a bit. There have been no discussions between the #Packers and Adams since the season ended, a source said. Team has until March 8 to decide whether to use franchise tag
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) February 22, 2022
The Green Bay Packers and All-Pro receiver Davante Adams may be no closer to agreeing on a new, long-term deal even as the window for using the franchise tag opens on Tuesday.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers and Adams have had “no discussions” about a new deal since the end of the season.
Adams, a first-team All-Pro each of the last two seasons, has an expiring contract. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if he isn’t tagged or re-signed by March 16.
The team has until March 8 to use the franchise tag and keep Adams out of free agency.
Adams has a strong argument for being the best wide receiver in football and wants to be compensated as such. During training camp last year, a large gap existed between Adams and the team due to disagreements on who the highest-paid receiver in the NFL is on a per-year basis. DeAndre Hopkins’ extension with the Arizona Cardinals was a point of contention and may not be resolved.
Using the franchise tag would give the Packers more time to work out a long-term deal. In fact, it would extend the negotiation window into July. However, if he’s tagged and no deal is agreed upon, Adams would have to play the 2022 season in Green Bay on the one-year franchise tag tender.
In theory, the Packers could also tag Adams and trade him away as a way of creating more value for losing him. If he signed with a new team in free agency, the most the Packers could get back is a third-round compensatory pick in the 2023 draft.
It’s certainly possible that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is waiting until a decision is made on Adams before he makes a decision on his own football future, which remains undecided as of Tuesday.
