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Davante Adams

Notable 2023 Pro Bowl Incentives

December 21st, 2022 at 9:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The NFL announced their 2023 Pro Bowl rosters this evening. Besides the ability to list the accolade on their career resume (plus the monetary bonus that comes from participating in and winning the game), many players had a financial incentive for wanting a Pro Bowl nod. We’ve collected some of the notable Pro Bowl contract incentives below, most via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter (unless noted).

Geno Smith‘s contract bonus came via a specific incentive that required not only Pro Bowl recognition but 20 touchdown passes, according to Yates (on Twitter). Smith hit that TD mark back in Week 13. The impending free agent is set to cash in following a breakout campaign during his age-32 season.

Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has a more complex bonus worked into his contract. According to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry (on Twitter), Howard is one step closer to earning a $1MM bonus thanks to his Pro Bowl nod, but he’ll also need Miami to improve in either wins, points allowed, TDs allowed, total defense, interceptions, average net yards allowed per rushing play, or turnover margin.

Speaking of the Dolphins, the organization saved a chunk of future money since one of their players didn’t make the Pro Bowl roster. As Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald tweets, Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option would have increased from $22MM to $28MM if he earned a Pro Bowl nod.

Raiders WR Davante Adams Charged In Connection With Shoving Incident

October 16th, 2022 at 10:26am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 16: The NFL will not make a decision with respect to a possible suspension for Adams until the legal process has concluded, as Rapoport writes. Adams will be disciplined under the league’s personal conduct policy — which includes an NFL investigation and a decision by Judge Sue L. Robinson– as opposed to game-day rules. That is presumably because the incident took place after the game was over and did not involve another player.

OCTOBER 12: Momentum may be moving toward a Davante Adams suspension. Kansas City police charged Adams in connection with his postgame shove of a photographer, according to KCTV5’s Shain Bergen (on Twitter).

Initially reported as a misdemeanor assault charge, Adams is actually facing a city ordinance violation, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This checks in a bit below misdemeanor assault. It carries a $250-$1K fine and/or up to 180 days in jail.

The NFL is reviewing this matter. While the Raiders’ Week 6 bye gives the league a bit more time, a decision should be expected before Las Vegas resumes its season. A suspension and/or a fine are considered to be in play after Adams shoved the photographer to the ground following the Raiders’ one-point loss Monday night.

This certainly qualifies as one of the more unusual developments in recent NFL history. The photographer Adams shoved filed charges against the 29-year-old pass catcher not long after the incident. Adams apologized shortly after the encounter, but this matter is not going away. The All-Pro wideout is due in court Nov. 10.

The police report indicates the photographer, Ryan Zebley, sustained whiplash and a possible minor concussion as a result of Adams’ shove. Upon filing these charges, Zebley indicated he went to a Kansas City-area hospital as a result of this unusual postgame incident. The video evidence available should allow for an expedited NFL investigation, and should the result end with an Adams ban, it would certainly mark a notable chapter in the Raiders-Chiefs rivalry.

Las Vegas’ post-bye schedule starts with games against the Texans, Saints, Jaguars and Colts. The team also lost Darren Waller to a hamstring injury against the Chiefs, leaving the Pro Bowl tight end uncertain for Week 7. Being without Adams to start that stretch would obviously further limit the Raiders’ offense, which has a reduced margin for error thanks to Monday’s one-point loss that dropped the team to 1-4. Adams is in the first season of a five-year, $140MM contract. Although he caught two touchdown passes against the Chiefs, Adams’ Raiders tenure is off to a rocky start because of this issue.

Davante Adams Shoving Incident Could Produce Suspension

October 11th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the immediate aftermath of the Raiders’ one-point loss to the Chiefs, Davante Adams shoved a photographer to the ground (video link). Adams walked into the tunnel toward the locker room at Arrowhead Stadium soon after.

While the ninth-year wide receiver issued an unprompted apology to the man he shoved soon after, NFL discipline could come his way. A fine and potentially a suspension is on the table for the Raiders wide receiver, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The NFL is reviewing the situation.

Adams, 29, has never been suspended during his NFL career. Given the video evidence available, it should not be long before the Raiders learn if their top pass catcher will face a suspension. The Raiders have a Week 6 bye, and Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com notes no timetable exists for Adams punishment (Twitter link).

The photographer has since filed a police report, alleging assault. The man claimed, via TMZ, he needed to be hospitalized after the fall. Adams shoved the photographer after the man had walked in front of him on the way to the locker room. This came minutes after the Raiders failed to convert a fourth-and-1, a play that featured Adams and Hunter Renfrow colliding. The collision finished off the Chiefs’ comeback win.

It seems a notable fine, at the very least, will come Adams’ way. But the Raiders may need to brace for a short suspension as well. Given Las Vegas’ 1-4 start, any Adams absence would be a seminal development regarding hopes the team has of crawling out of this hole and into playoff contention.

The former Packers All-Pro is in the first season of a five-year, $140MM contract. The Raiders have already played without Renfrow this season and went through most of Monday night’s game without Darren Waller, who sustained a hamstring injury. Losing Adams would obviously be a considerable issue for a team battling uphill after a tough start.

Raiders WR Davante Adams On Trade Request, Packers Exit

September 6th, 2022 at 10:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

After years of Davante Adams–Derek Carr reunion rumors, the Raiders made that happen this year by completing a tag-and-trade transaction with the Packers. Rejoining his ex-Fresno State teammate, Adams will begin play on his five-year, $140MM contract this week.

The ninth-year wide receiver had already confirmed the Packers offered more money to keep him. Despite that, Adams requested to be traded out of Green Bay, according to Tim Keown of ESPN.com.

“The time came where I had to think about my overall life and happiness,” Adams said, via Keown. “Where do I want my kids to grow up? I love Green Bay, but I’m a West Coast dude and a lot of family — especially my grandparents — haven’t been able to see me play in close to a decade of playing pro ball. It’s all the same people that’s coming — and it’s not a whole lot.”

An East Palo Alto, Calif., native, Adams played with Carr at Fresno State from 2012-13. The two had discussed a reunion at various points — one coming in 2017, before Adams signed a $14MM-per-year extension to stay in Green Bay — but Carr called Adams shortly after the Raiders’ wild-card loss to the Bengals, Keown adds. Classifying his 2022 recruitment of Adams “egregious,” Carr said something to the effect of, “Hey, whenever you’re ready, I’m ready. Let’s figure this thing out” to his former college teammate ahead of the Packers’ divisional-round game against the 49ers. Carr’s recruitment of Adams, who was set for free agency before the Packers tagged him, continued between the Packers’ playoff loss and the March trade.

Aaron Rodgers discussed his pitch for Adams to stay earlier this year, but Keown notes the four-time MVP told Adams his time in Green Bay was nearing its conclusion and the wideout needed to make his own choice about his long-term NFL future. Although Adams added, “it is not like I orchestrated this; nothing like that,” the Packers accommodated the wide receiver’s wishes to be moved. It was known Las Vegas was his preferred destination.

The trade sent Adams out of the NFC, freed up some funds (Green Bay re-signed both De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas this offseason) and provided first- and second-round picks (used on linebacker Quay Walker and to move up for wide receiver Christian Watson).

The Raiders have Carr signed through the 2025 season, via the three-year, $141.5MM extension agreed to in April. While a narrow 2023 window exists for the Raiders to escape the extension comes after Super Bowl LVII — $40.5MM (his 2023 base salary and part of his ’24 base) is due on Feb. 15 — the Carr-Adams connection reforming makes it highly unlikely the Raiders would bail on this pairing after one season. Las Vegas also has Hunter Renfrow signed through 2024.

Packers Offered Davante Adams More Than Raiders; Aaron Rodgers’ Status Factored Into Trade

June 10th, 2022 at 4:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers’ trade of Davante Adams reunited the All-Pro wide receiver with his college quarterback while stripping Aaron Rodgers of his top weapon. The recently dealt wideout confirmed this deal did not come about because of Packers financial stinginess.

Green Bay tagged Adams and presented a more lucrative extension offer than what Adams received from the Raiders, according to the ninth-year receiver. Adams signed a five-year, $141.5MM deal — then a receiver-record figure — to reunite with ex-Fresno State teammate Derek Carr. The eight-year Packer delved into the reasons behind the decision to change teams.

Adams, 29, said last year the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers’ Green Bay future affected his extension talks with the team. The new Raiders playmaker confirmed this week Rodgers’ status status, even after the reigning MVP’s landmark extension, played a role in the trade. Not knowing how much longer Rodgers would play helped lead to Adams heading to Vegas, via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur (on Twitter).

Rodgers, 38, signed a record-setting extension in March — more than a week before the Adams trade — but the deal can be viewed as a one-year, $42MM pact. Rodgers has since said retirement is frequently on his mind, and the contract will allow the four-time MVP to revisit his future with the Packers after the season. For all the drama surrounding Rodgers’ status over the past two offseasons, it appears 2023 will bring more. Those headlines no longer affect Adams, who will play with a recently extended Carr. The fellow ninth-year vet is going into his age-31 season.

“We had some honest conversations about my future here, and how long I wanted to play, and his own thoughts about his future and where he wanted to play, live and raise his family,” Rodgers said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (via Twitter), of offseason talks between he and Adams. “The team obviously stepped up and made a competitive, or an even more compelling, offer.

“… I’m a little biased, but it’s hard to think of a better player I played with. He had a chance to be the all-time [record-holder] in a lot of categories at receiver for us. I thought that might be a little nugget that would kind of keep him here, but Tae made a decision he thought was best for him and his family, and I can’t fault him for that at all.”

The Packers did well to anticipate Adams’ late-20s surge, signing him to a four-year, $58MM extension late in 2017. That deal came just before the Chiefs’ Sammy Watkins contract caused a shift in the receiver market. Adams made four Pro Bowls on his second Packers pact and is headed to Vegas riding a two-year All-Pro streak. It is unclear what the Packers offered, but the accomplished pass catcher passing on it to team with a less decorated quarterback proved bold. Though, Adams will still rake in considerable cash and play closer to his California home.

“I’ll say it; it was true, OK,” Adams said (via SI.com) of the Packers’ offer being better than the Raiders contract he eventually signed. “But, like I said, there’s more that goes into it. Family is a big part of it for me, so geographically being here it makes it a lot easier for me to stay connected to my family year round. This isn’t Year 2. I’m not necessarily trying to ‘fight for a job’ or anything like that to where you gotta do what you gotta do to stay out there.

“I had the choice, and the choice was for me to come here and raise my family on the West Coast and come out here and have some fun in the sun. It’s hard to explain.”

Derek Carr‘s older brother, David, said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show that his brother and Adams had been trying to reunite for years, noting “a couple years ago years ago they were really close to making that happen,” via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Derek Carr pushing for Adams is unsurprising, given the Raiders’ receiver turnover and missteps in recent years. The Raiders will throw out an Adams-Hunter Renfrow–Darren Waller trio, while the Packers are left with questions regarding their pass-catching hierarchy.

Watkins is now one of the players the Packers hope can collectively replace Adams, with second-round pick Christian Watson in this mix as well. Green Bay has not ruled out adding another veteran at the position. Given Rodgers’ year-to-year status, acquiring another vet would make sense for the NFC contenders.

Packers GM Discusses Aaron Rodgers’ Future With Team

March 28th, 2022 at 7:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Aaron Rodgers‘ record-breaking four-year, $200MM extension was intended to provide the QB with flexibility on a year-by-year basis. While Rodgers could theoretically walk away from the deal and join another organization, general manager Brian Gutekunst is naturally hoping the franchise QB will spend the rest of his career in Green Bay.

[RELATED: Aaron Rodgers’ Last Season In Green Bay?]

“We’d certainly like to,” Gutekunst said when asked if he believes Rodgers will retire with the Packers (via Ryan Wood of PackersNews.com). “I think that’s certainly one of the goals of his. I don’t want to speak for him, but I think that was kind of part of the scenario we thought when we moved through this process.”

At one point last year, it sounded like Rodgers’ tenure with the Packers was about to come to an end. However, as Gutekunst detailed, the organization worked with the quarterback to resolve any differences while also making sure to provide the player with his space.

“We had a lot of conversations right after the season,” Gutekunst said, “and he kind of took some time to go through things and make sure that he wanted to commit to the significant time and effort he puts into preparing for the season. Once he got through that, that time, I think we found out probably shortly before the rest of the world found out.”

Gutekunst also explained how he made an effort to better involve Rodgers in transactions, and that especially included the blockbuster trade of Davante Adams. Ultimately, Adams was dealt to the Raiders for a first- and second-round pick, and the GM was sure there was no way to change his wideout’s mind regarding his desire to play elsewhere.

“Not at the end of the day,” Gutekunst said (via Wood). “Those are really tough decisions. To lose a player of his caliber, and what he’s done for the organization, those are hard decisions and hard things to move on from. At the same time, I think once we got through the discussions with Davante after the season, this is what was best for the organization and Davante going forward.”

Contract Details: Watson, Adams, Stafford, Jones, Maye, Reed, Joseph-Day, Bozeman

March 21st, 2022 at 3:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest details from contracts recently agreed to across the league, starting with the Browns’ fully guaranteed deal for their new quarterback.

  • Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): Five years, fully guaranteed $230MM. Everything else about Watson’s Cleveland arrival is complicated; his contract is not. Following the 2022 season, in which the Browns reduced his salary to $1MM due to the likely forthcoming suspension, Watson is set to make $46MM in base salary from 2023-26, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes.
  • Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): Four years, $160MM. The Rams are keeping Stafford’s base salaries down in the near future; they reside at $1.5MM for both 2022 and ’23, per OverTheCap. The team gave its quarterback a $60MM signing bonus, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. There are no void years on this deal, which includes $49.5MM, $50.5MM and $49.5MM cap numbers from 2024-26.
  • Davante Adams, WR (Raiders): Five years, $140MM. Adams’ deal surpasses DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM-per-year pact, but it is essentially a three-year, $67.5MM accord, Florio notes. Only $22.75MM is guaranteed at signing, but by early 2023, $42.9MM in injury guarantees shift to full guarantees. The Raiders have Adams tied to a $3.5MM 2022 base salary, helping for cap purposes, with a $20MM roster bonus representing part of that $42.9MM guarantee in 2023. Adams’ 2023 salary is set to be $6MM. His 2025 and ’26 salaries — $35.6MM apiece — are nonguaranteed.
  • Chandler Jones, OLB (Raiders): Three years, $51MM. The Raiders guaranteed Jones $32MM, with SI.com’s Howard Balzer noting the deal includes an $8.5MM roster bonus (Twitter link). The Raiders, who have Jones tied to base salaries of $4MM in 2022 and $7.5MM in 2023, tacked on two void years for cap purposes.
  • D.J. Reed, CB (Jets): Three years, $33MM. Reed collected $10.5MM guaranteed at signing and will count just $4.6MM against the Jets’ cap this year, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. Reed is set to count $14.2MM against the Jets’ 2023 and ’24 caps.
  • Marcus Maye, S (Saints): Three years, $22.5MM. Originally reported as three years and $28.5MM, Maye’s deal does include $14.5MM guaranteed, per Spotrac (on Twitter). Maye’s 2022 cap hit is just $2.6MM, and the Saints included two void years. Maye’s cap hits for 2023 and ’24 are $8.6MM and $8.7MM, respectively.
  • Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT (Chargers). Three years, $24MM. Joseph-Day will receive $16.5MM guaranteed, which is up from initial reporting here. His 2022 and ’23 base salaries — $2.5MM and $6.5MM — are guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
  • Bradley Bozeman, OL (Panthers): One year, $2.8MM. Bozeman will receive a $1MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.

Packers Trade WR Davante Adams To Raiders

March 17th, 2022 at 6:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Davante Adams‘ stint with the Packers has come to a sudden end. The Packers are trading the Pro Bowl wideout to the Raiders, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The Packers will receive the Raiders’ first- and second-round picks in this year’s draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Raiders are also inking Adams to a record-breaking contract. The wideout will sign a five-year, $141.25MM deal with Las Vegas, with his $28.25MM average annual salary setting a new record for the position (per Rapoport).

There were whispers that Adams could be on the move, but the return of Aaron Rodgers had many assuming that the star wide receiver would be back in Green Bay next season. Of course, there was still the matter of a contract; the Packers ended up franchising Adams when they couldn’t agree on an extension prior to the tender deadline, but the wideout later made it clear that he wouldn’t play the 2022 season on the franchise tag (one-year, $20.5MM). Adams has been pushing for a megadeal to top DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM/year contract, and per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (on Twitter), the Packers were willing to meet his asking price. However, Adams ultimately wanted to play elsewhere, leading to the trade.

Whenever a potential Adams trade was brought up, the Raiders were consistently mentioned as a top suitor. This wasn’t only due to the Raiders’ need for a top-end wide receiver; it was also because of the friendship between Adams and quarterback Derek Carr, who were teammates at Fresno State. Carr said last summer that he would “welcome” a reunion with his good friend, and he acknowledged that he’d be “recruiting hard” by the time the 2022 offseason came around. Ultimately, Carr got his wish, and he’ll now be adding one of the NFL’s most dynamic receivers.

A few eyebrows were raised when it was recently reported that Adams had bought a home in the Las Vegas area, and Rapoport tweets that the receiver will actually be neighbors with his new QB. Rapoport adds that the Raiders and Packers had been working on a deal for a few days, although NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the trade was dead as recently as yesterday.

Adams had a standout career with the Packers aftre being selected in the second round of the 2014 draft. The receiver earned a pair of first-team All-Pro nods and made five-straight Pro Bowls during his time in Green Bay. After putting up some incredible numbers in recent seasons, Adams somehow took it to another level in 2021. The wideout finished the season with a career-high 1,553 receiving yards on 123 receptions. He also hauled in 11 touchdowns.

Josh McDaniels and co. were reportedly seeking a top-end receiver to pair with receiver Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller. DeSean Jackson provided a bit of a spark after joining the organization, but there was no guarantee he would stick around (plus he profiles as a lower-end WR). The team also lost a key future piece in Henry Ruggs.

While Green Bay settled their issues with their franchise QB, they now have some major question marks elsewhere on offense. The team’s receivers depth chart is currently led by Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, and the Bears signed away Equanimeous St. Brown earlier today. It will be interesting to see if the Packers are able to attract one of the few remaining FA wideouts, and Schefter confirms (on Twitter) that the team is indeed pursuing veteran receivers. And for those wondering, Rapoport tweets that Rodgers has indeed signed his new contract. In fact, Rodgers was aware that Adams was done with the Packers when he inked his new deal, so this trade won’t come as any surprise to the QB (per Rapoport).

Packers’ Davante Adams Won’t Play On Tag

March 14th, 2022 at 8:27am CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have Aaron Rodgers back, but things are still up in the air with their other star player. Packers wide receiver Davante Adams has informed team brass that he will not play on his franchise tag (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 

While Rodgers scored a new four-year, $200MM deal to become the highest paid player in league history, Adams was cuffed to a one-year, $20.5MM franchise tag. That’s a 20% bump from last year’s tag of $16.8MM, but still far short of the guaranteed dollars he could have on a large, multi-year extension. The Packers have until July 15 to hammer out such an arrangement with Adams. If they don’t, they’ll have him under contract, but Adams could also go the Le’Veon Bell route — hold out and see what shakes in the fall.

Last time they talked, Adams pushed for a megadeal to top DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM/year contract. It’s a steep asking price, but the two-time All-Pro wide receiver has done his best to justify it. Last year, Adams ranked second in the league in catches (123), third in receiving yards (1,553), and fifth in receiving touchdowns (11).

The Packers may have to carve out some additional cap room to accommodate a new deal for Adams, though they could also work some magic to push much of the obligation to 2023 and beyond. Potential cap casualties include edge rusher Za’Darius Smith ($15.3MM in savings), outside linebacker Preston Smith ($12.5MM in savings), and Randall Cobb ($6.9MM in savings).

Packers Expected To Tag Davante Adams

March 8th, 2022 at 10:51am CST by Zachary Links

One down, one to go. Now that Aaron Rodgers has a new deal, the Packers are expected to apply the franchise tag to Davante Adams (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). 

2:30PM: Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers have now officially applied the tag (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Packers, Rodgers Agree To New Deal]

Rodgers has himself a new four-year, $200MM contract, making him the highest paid player in NFL history. Despite the sum – which includes $153MM guaranteed — his cap number will decrease for the coming year. That gives the previously cash-strapped Packers some much needed flexibility, and they’ll parlay much of that money into Adams’ tag.

Adams will be happy to reunite with Rodgers, but he won’t be thrilled about the tag. After today, the Packers will have until the middle of the summer to reach a multi-year compromise with their star wide receiver.

The Packers haven’t used their tag since 2010, but this is a fairly easy decision. There was no way they’d let their All-Pro wide receiver reach the open market this spring, so they’ll buy themselves some time instead. For what it’s worth, Adams and the Packers haven’t discussed an extension since the Packers’ 2021 season ended.

Last time they talked, Adams pushed for a megadeal to top DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM/year contract. No matter how this plays out for Adams, it’s safe to say that he’ll get a massive bump over his last four-year, $58MM re-up, signed in December of 2017.

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