Raiders’ Davante Adams: 2022 Proved I ‘Did not Want Aaron Rodgers’ to Be triumphant

At the workers degree, Davante Adams didn’t trip the heights he hit with the Inexperienced Bay Packers in 2022. The Las Vegas Raiders big name used to be not lower than overjoyed he thrived with out Aaron Rodgers.

He used to be an All-Pro for the third straight season after catching 100 passes for 1,516 yards and an NFL-simplest 14 touchdowns.

“That’ll never be the memoir ever again,” Adams suggested The Ringer’s Mirin Fader of the postulate that a disproportionate quantity of his success used to be owed to Rodgers. “It proved that I’m me. A quarterback doesn’t form me. … I form me. And I’m in a position to end it repeatedly at this degree.”

The 30-365 days-traditional added how his first season in Las Vegas “supposed loads.”

“Although I went and played luxuriate in dog s–t next 365 days, they are able to’t negate it,” he said. “As a result of now I’ve already proved it all over the course of a season, played each and each recreation, and put collectively a resume that says I end not want…you would erase all of the numbers. You are going to be ready to correct write in: He didn’t want Aaron Rodgers.”

The feedback provide extra context for why Adams sought an exit from Inexperienced Bay final offseason. He had already cited the lingering uncertainty over Rodgers’ future as one component.

Adams signing a 5-365 days, $140 million extension with the Raiders reflected his elite space. He used to be briefly the very best-paid receiver in NFL historical past until Tyreek Hill received $120 million over four years from the Miami Dolphins.

Peaceable, some fans doubtlessly understanding Adams’ production used to be tied to taking part in with one of the finest quarterbacks in NFL historical past.

If anything else, the 2022 marketing and marketing and marketing campaign made a compelling case that Rodgers wanted Adams pretty than the fallacious contrivance spherical. His 3,695 passing yards had been his fewest ever over a full season, and his 39.3 QBR used to be a profession low, per Pro Football Reference.

In December, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler spoke to an NFL personnel executive who said procuring and selling Adams and effectively changing him with 2022 2d-spherical decide Christian Watson “didn’t work” for the Packers.

“For Rodgers’ peace of mind, you dangle [Adams],” the exec said. “Inexperienced Bay maybe didn’t realize what their identity used to be, which is Rodgers to Davante. That used to be the offense when they wanted a play.”

I’s aloof dazzling to inquire of how grand Adams on my own impacts profitable and losing extra broadly. The Raiders completed 6-11 and third within the AFC West final season, finally.

But there’s dinky doubt about what he brings to the desk as a cross-catcher.