Adams Out, Hopkins In for Packers-Cardinals Showdown
GREEN BAY, Wis. – At times, Davante Adams shows superhuman traits on the football field.
What the Green Bay Packers’ All-Pro receiver does not have are superhuman powers to beat COVID-19.
Adams, who tested positive for COVID on Monday, will not play on Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals. NFL Network reported the news that was perfectly obvious throughout the abbreviated week. He would have had to test negative on Tuesday and Wednesday to fly out with the team or on Wednesday and Thursday to hop aboard a charter flight. Unable to beat the virus with the ease in which he beats single coverage, he’ll be watching the showdown against the undefeated Cardinals from home.
Meanwhile, fellow All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was questionable and didn’t practice this week, will be active for Arizona, according to ESPN.
Under Matt LaFleur, the Packers are 6-0 without Adams. That includes a win over New Orleans last season.
“We’re not a better team without him, that’s for sure,” Rodgers said.
The Packers also won’t have Allen Lazard, who is on the COVID list, as well, and probably won’t have big-play receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury and hasn’t even gone through a full practice during that span.
Adams (52), Lazard (15) and Valdes-Scantling (six) have combined for 73 receptions. The remaining receiving options are Randall Cobb (14), Amari Rodgers (two), Malik Taylor (two), Equanimeous St. Brown (one) and Juwann Winfree (zero). They’ve combined to catch 19-of-26 targets
“We have guys who can win one-on-one matchups,” Rodgers said. “If we have to go with some of the young guys, there won’t be any different expectations. Matt does a good job schematically with man coverage.”
Unlike the Packers, the Cardinals have a lot of other options should Hopkins be limited. Hopkins is one of five Cardinals with at least 24 receptions, a group that ranges from 6-foot-4 veteran A.J. Green to 5-foot-8 rookie Rondale Moore.
“I think great offenses can do both (so) they’re not one-dimensional,” quarterback Kyler Murray said of the NFL’s fourth-ranked scoring offense. “As far as we go, we have receivers, we have running backs. As long as you stay healthy, and you continue to work hard, I feel like good things will happen. As far as right now, I think we’re on the right path. I think everybody sees it, so hopefully we can keep it going.”
The Packers have until 3 p.m. to make roster moves, whether that be the surprise activation of Valdes-Scantling or left tackle David Bakhtiari from injury lists, the elevation of Winfree from the practice squad, or the activation of Taylor from the COVID-exempt list.
