Report: Aaron Rodgers knew Davante Adams would not return to Packers

Did Aaron Rodgers know ahead of time that the Green Bay Packers were not going to retain his favorite target at the time he re-signed with the team? Apparently that was the case.

The Packers on Thursday agreed to a blockbuster trade that sent Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders for two picks, including one first-round selection.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says Rodgers knew before signing his own deal with the Packers that Adams would not be back.

While Aaron Rodgers was negotating his contract, he knew Davante Adams would never play for the #Packers again. The situation was too far gone. Something had to give. And when Adams informed GB he wasn’t playing on the tag, talks got fired up. Now, Adams will be on the #Raiders. https://t.co/YTAxHov0Rj

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2022

That explanation makes sense.

Rodgers spent all last year airing his grievances with the Packers, which included his frustration over them getting rid of core players. There is no way Green Bay would have spent several months repairing their relationship with Rodgers only to blindside him with the big trade.

The Packers undoubtedly told Rodgers they were likely to lose Adams. They probably shared with him their backup plan, which he approved. The plan likely includes using one of the high draft picks they receive for Adams on a receiver, in addition to signing one of the top free agent receivers. Maybe they will end up signing JuJu Smith-Schuster or someone similar to help fill Adams’ spot.

Additional information also suggests that money was not the reason Adams wanted a trade.

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