Adams One of Two Packers Topping PFF’s Free-Agent Rankings

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have the top free agent at two positions, according to Pro Football Focus.

In a series of free-agent previews featuring the top 10 at every position, Davante Adams was No. 1 among the receivers and De’Vondre Campbell was No. 1 among the off-the-ball linebackers.

The ranking on Adams is no surprise. He’s the best player slated to hit free agency.

“Adams made it clear he wanted to become the highest-paid player at the wide receiver position, and it’s hard to argue against him deserving that distinction,” PFF wrote. “Matters become more complicated when you try to determine who is technically the highest-paid wide receiver and what the true annual value of their contracts are. A franchise tag for Adams will be just shy of $20 million, making it less likely given Green Bay’s salary cap challenges ahead — but not impossible to work around.”

The Packers could keep him with a franchise tag that would buy time to sign him to a longer-term deal, though that will be easier said than done as it would add another $20 million to Green Bay’s $50 million salary-cap deficit.

That decision would not sit well with Adams, who bit his tongue answering that question in the public forum that was a live-streamed Zoom interview session on Jan. 5.

“I’m not sure,” Adams said when asked how he’d handle that decision. “I’m not sure how to answer that safely right now. So, we’ll just cross that bridge when we get to it. I’ll just say that. I like to be professional on here.”

Three contracts have set the standard at the position. In terms of average pay, Arizona’s DeAndre Hopkins’ two-year contract is worth $27.25 million. In terms of guaranteed money, Tennessee’s Julio Jones’ three-year contract is worth $66 million and includes $64 million guaranteed. Jones is a distant second in average pay at $22 million. In terms of total dollars, Dallas’ Amari Cooper’s five-year contract is worth $100 million.

PFF is projecting a four-year contract for Adams that averages $23.25 million.

The Packers could be compelled to bring back Adams as a way to insure Aaron Rodgers’ return. Would Rodgers want to go to work in 2022 and beyond without his right-hand man catching passes? However, Adams turned 29 on Christmas Eve and contracts are supposed to be about future production rather than past performance. Adams is the gold standard for receivers on the field and a leader off the field. Will Adams remain the same indomitable force when he’s 32 as he was in earning All-Pro honors last season?

CLICK HERE for all of PFF’s rankings, summaries and projected contracts.

Ranking the Packers’ Free Agents on Offense

8. WR Equanimeous St Brown

St. Brown caught 21 passes as a sixth-round pick in 2018 but just 16 the past three years. This season, he caught 9-of-17 targets for 98 yards and zero touchdowns. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers complimented him throughout the season, but words didn’t deliver passes. He was a positive contributor on special teams. Just 25, he might want to get a fresh start, though the uncertainty at receiver in Green Bay could mean more opportunities.

7. RT Dennis Kelly

Kelly was a wise veteran addition at the start of training camp. A 16-game starter for the Titans last year, it was Kelly to the rescue when right tackle Billy Turner missed four games with a knee injury late in the season. He was excellent, a total of one sack and three pressures allowed, but got worked over by Pro Bowler Nick Bosa in the playoff game. The sack/strip of Aaron Rodgers late in the first half doomed a drive that led to a blocked field goal. Kelly turned 32 a couple weeks ago; you could do a lot worse than having him in reserve.

6. P Corey Bojorquez

Acquired at the end of training camp, Bojorquez ranked among the league’s top punters until the wheels came off in a Week 12 game against Chicago. Still, his 40.0-yard net average was 3.0 yards better than JK Scott’s mark from 2020. He’s got a lot of ability – he had the NFL’s longest punt each of the past two seasons. With added consistency, he could be a major weapon. Will he ever be a reliable holder, though?

5. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

After leading the league with a 20.9-yard average and scoring a career-high six touchdowns in 2020, Valdes-Scantling turned in a strong training camp this summer that looked like a sign of bigger and better things. Instead, injuries limited him to 11 games and he caught only 26 balls for 430 yards (16.5 average) and three scores. Still, he’s a premier deep threat and could be coveted. Over the last three seasons, he’s tied for third in the league with seven touchdown receptions of 40-plus yards. The Packers went 9-2 when he topped 70 receiving yards.

4. G/C Lucas Patrick

The Packers have invested five draft picks on interior blockers the past two seasons, with Jon Runyan, Jake Hanson and Simon Stepaniak in 2020 and Josh Myers and Royce Newman this year. Yet Patrick just keeps starting games. The past two seasons, he’s started 28 of a possible 33. In 13 starts this season, he allowed one sack – in the finale vs. Detroit - according to Pro Football Focus. With his ability to play all three interior positions, Patrick is a key component on the offensive line, though perhaps the Packers will go younger and cheaper and roll with Runyan, Myers and Newman at the interior spots.

3. WR Allen Lazard (restricted)

Lazard set career highs in receptions (40), yards (513) and touchdowns (eight). Other than a couple blips on the radar, coach Matt LaFleur’s beloved “goon” caught the ball well, fought for every yard and blocked his butt off. Not many explosive runs didn’t involve Lazard. Over the last five games of this season, his six touchdown receptions were tied for second-most in the league. Not the most fleet of foot, his constant blocking allows him to catch defenders by surprise on deep passes. Green Bay went 11-2 when he scored. The losses both involved Jordan Love at quarterback. The Packers have cap issues but might be forced to use the second-round tender (projected $3.986 million) to keep him.

2. TE Robert Tonyan

Not many players lost more money this year than Tonyan. He was a breakout star in 2020 with 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. Of the 34 tight ends who were targeted at least 40 times in the passing game, Tonyan was No. 1 in catch percentage (89.7), drop percentage (0.0) and passer rating (148.3), according to PFF. This year, he was forced to help in protection, which curtailed his numbers. It appeared he was on his way toward breaking loose with impact games vs. Washington and Arizona but suffered a torn ACL vs. the Cardinals on Oct. 28. Maybe he’ll be available at some point in training camp.

1. WR Davante Adams

Adams isn’t just slated to be the Packers’ best player in free agency. He’ll be the best player in free agency, period. When Aaron Rodgers calls Adams a future Hall of Famer, he’s not kidding. Over the last six seasons, Adams ranks No. 1 among receivers with 581 receptions (31 more than DeAndre Hopkins), 7,192 receiving yards (63 more than Julio Jones) and 69 touchdowns (nine more than Mike Evans). Yes, it helps to have Rodgers throwing him the football, but it helps Rodgers to have Adams running routes and attracting attention. The one downside is Adams will be 30 at this time next year. Contracts should be about projected production and not past production. There’s no doubt a 30-year-old Adams will be great. But how about a 33-year-old Adams? Keeping Adams probably means the Packers will keep Rodgers. And that means the Packers will have the horses to reload for yet another run at an elusive Super Bowl.

Given his injury-related struggles in 2015, Adams has gone from potential bust (as in blown second-round draft pick) to potential bust (as in Pro Football Hall of Fame bronze bust).

“When you start stacking up the numbers for Davante, it’s mind-blowing,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said late in the season. “I really feel like he’s the best player I’ve played with, and I said that to him the other night, actually. I was just thinking about him and having a lot of gratitude for our friendship and the fact I get to play with him for so many years now. I just felt like I wanted to tell him that because it’s true.”

Adams’ response?

“It caught me off-guard when he texted me that the other day. He texted me that before he said it (publicly). But, yeah, it catches me off-guard a little bit just because I feel like what we don’t do enough as men in general is express the way we feel about one another or about the way he feels, whether it’s good or bad. So, to hear something like that out of the blue – there was no conversation that led up to it or anything like that, it was just strictly from his heart, something he was thinking about – it means a lot to me as a player.”

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