Cory's Corner: Seeds Of Regret
The former best wideout in the league has been hamstrung by mediocre quarterback play.
Remember when Davante Adams was excited about playing with his former college quarterback?
Well, that quarterback — Derek Carr — is now toiling in New Orleans and as Adams hits his stride in his second season in Las Vegas, he has been planting the seeds of regret.
“I don’t got time to wait around,” said Adams after a frustrating loss to the Chargers last week.
Adams turns 31 in December and still is a top 10 receiver in this league with 397 receiving yards, three touchdowns and only one drop. Despite seeing Carr get benched last year and ultimately shipped out, Adams is still playing hard and trying to lead by example.
Even Packers shutdown cornerback Jaire Alexander knows that Adams still has plenty in the tank.
“It’s pretty evident he’s the best in the league,” Alexander said, who should get the assignment of matching up with Adams for most of the game on Monday night. “He’s just quick. I mean, I can go on and one, but he’s the best. I’ll leave it at that.”
And that’s what made Adams so great as a Packer. His staccato-quick movements made his route running second to none. But at some point, it’s a little frustrating when you’re playing with an average quarterback. I mean, we are four games in and Jimmy Garoppolo is getting outplayed by rookie C.J. Stroud and reclamation project Baker Mayfield.
Of course you could say that Adams shouldn’t care because he signed a five-year, $140 million deal — making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the league. But as we all know, what’s the point of an elite wideout if your quarterback is just OK? That’s like buying a Lamborghini and outfitting it with whitewalls.
Adams has to think long and hard about his legacy. He obviously wants to taste his first Super Bowl title but that isn’t going to happen as a Raider. That organization seems to find noise, not to mention it doesn’t respond to that noise very well. The franchise made the right move in moving to a place that wanted them and now it has a gleaming new home.
However, the Raiders will never be a winner without a solid quarterback.
Which brings me back to Adams. After this season, does he go to the Raiders and ask for a trade? And if so, would the Packers be willing to give up a third rounder for him? If the Raiders are willing to trade him, the Packers should offer a third round pick right away. A veteran wideout that is still one of the best in his craft would be a perfect addition for the youngest wide receiving corps in the league.
The only way that would happen is if the Raiders ate the majority of that bloated contract. And if they don’t, Adams will be stuck in Las Vegas with a below average quarterback, just hoping to earn a random wild card berth every now and then.
Adams left Green Bay because he was frustrated that he wasn’t a priority. Ironically enough, now that the Raiders’ quarterback hasn’t been a priority, Adams has become just about invisible.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (27)
mrtundra
October 07, 2023 at 07:14 am
“It’s pretty evident he’s the best in the league,” Alexander said...We should post this on Rubechat and watch viking's fans heads explode.
Coldworld
October 07, 2023 at 08:34 am
Oh, haven’t you heard? Jefferson ain’t no Dj Moore.
Adams was not going to get paid that here and have it work out. Look how fast we unraveled what we could of the Rodgers extension and how tight things still were this off season. We could have let Jones and maybe others go I suppose, but to what end?
I tend to think Adams knew the party was over before Murphy did and a year before Rodgers. He got paid, is closer to home and may well have a coach no better or worse than LaFleur. He would have been as odd a fit on this year’s Packers too.
ricky
October 07, 2023 at 08:27 am
Larry Fitzgerald was extremely well paid by the Cardinals. And even though he played with a lot of sub-par QB's, he at least did get to one Super Bowl with Kurt Warner throwing him the ball. Meanwhile, Jerry Rice, considered one of the best ever, had a very strong team and coaching, plus the luxury of back-to-back HOF QB's throwing him the ball. Adams should have known that the Raiders are the team where your career goes to die. Ask Charles Woodson or Randy Moss. And the speculation/fantasy that somehow Adams will end up with the Packers again? Seriously? Are the Packers one player away from the Super Bowl? Or would he have a better chance in Miami, SF or (hold your breath) the Jets.
fireball
October 07, 2023 at 08:45 am
Davante won't end up back in Green Bay, believe me. He wants to play for a Super Bowl bound team. And that ain't the Packers, not for a couple of years at least.
A third-round pick? Forget it. The Raiders would want a first-round pick especially if they had to eat a large part of his massive contract.
And forget about Adams going to Detroit. They ain't that good. But how about the Chiefs and teaming up with Mahomes? Now that would be a scary duo.
13TimeChamps
October 07, 2023 at 08:46 am
1. No one is getting Davante Adams for a 3rd round pick. The Raiders gave up a 1 and a 2 to get him. Now they're going to let him go for a 3? Even the Raiders aren't that stupid.
2. Adams is a "top ten" receiver? Name me 9 other WRs, not named Jefferson, who are as good or better than Davante Adams.
3. Adams wanted out of Green Bay...period. He wanted to play closer to home. If he wanted out from a team that went 39-10 his last 3 years and still had Rodgers at QB, you think he's coming back to a team lead by a 1st year starter. No offense to Love, but he's no Aaron Rodgers at this point in his career.
4. "...now that the Raiders’ quarterback hasn’t been a priority, Adams has become just about invisible." 33 receptions/397 yds/3 TDs in 4 games is "invisible"?
Kind of a silly article, to be honest.
TarynsEyes
October 07, 2023 at 09:23 am
"No offense to Love, but he's no Aaron Rodgers at this point in his career."
But, haven't most been using bs stats to say Love has been better than Rodgers?
Love is no Rodgers today, tomorrow or ever. Love will be an average QB who will get enough wins to keep the 'hope' alive while he gets overpaid in GB. The Division will not be owned by the Packers. Love is no owner, but a part-time renter at best, and that is still in question. Rodgers overcame some bad coaching over his time in GB, Love isn't capable to do the same, he'll only be as good as MLF can coach, and that should scare him and us fans.
Coldworld
October 07, 2023 at 09:33 am
Unfortunately we never got to see what Rodgers could do this year. However, it’s not guaranteed that he is the Rodgers referenced.
In addition to the improved pick, I wanted to see what Rodgers free of LaFleur and his staff would be as much as the other way around. So far, LaFleur and his coaching team are not seeming to show that they plausibly were an asset to Rodgers overall.
bottlefliper
October 07, 2023 at 09:58 am
We saw it over and over again as he found a way to loooose when it counts. AR was very bad in big games even he had great weapons and super line and a great D. Most of it was on Rodgers and he never played like 20% of the cap. Mostly like 5%. He was so overpaid for most of his prime.
Mr. Ivermectine was never a leader. Travis Kelce got it right and he is smart and strong, espacially compared to Rodgers. But thats of course not a big deal.
Love will end up with more wins in big games than AR, even if it takes not much, as we all know.
Before MLF fixed AR he was all but done. MLF should got get way more credit. He saved AR ass in so many ways. Not the other way around. Just ask AR personal coach, Joe Rogan.
TarynsEyes
October 07, 2023 at 10:29 am
How many bottles have you flipped into the empty basket?
13TimeChamps
October 07, 2023 at 09:34 am
I believe the article is about Davante Adams, not Aaron Rodgers. I only brought him up to point out the fact that if Adams didn't want to play here while Rodgers was still here, why would he...ahh nevermind.
jannesbjornson
October 07, 2023 at 11:47 am
He would probably have rights to approve any trade. The four west coast teams would qualify as contenders.
BackThePack
October 07, 2023 at 09:24 am
I agree the Raiders are poorly run, but didn’t that below average QB make plays in in the 4th quarter playoff game when Rodgers/Adams failed by going three and out after the packers forced a punt and had the lead? I had to watch Jimmy G make plays while Rodgers didn’t. Another painful playoff meltdown.
jannesbjornson
October 07, 2023 at 11:51 am
Ask the defense that gave up the 3rd and 8 in the critical remaining minutes by watching the 49rs running the ball right through a number of defenders playing the matador role.
BackThePack
October 07, 2023 at 12:17 pm
Blame the D if you want (they did surrender 6 points), but Rodgers still had the ball up by 7 in the 4th and then tied and did nothing with it.
Leatherhead
October 07, 2023 at 12:27 pm
The expectation is that the defense won't give up any points, or any big plays, or consecutive first downs.
jlc1
October 07, 2023 at 01:49 pm
Let's talk about special teams too. They gave up 7. Rodgers and GB offense outscored the SF offense. Pretty much what their job description is.
Leatherhead
October 07, 2023 at 02:33 pm
jlc....the Packers have played about 65 playoff games in their history. They've scored more than 10 points in just about every one of them, and when they didn't, they lost. 10 points is not enough in the playoffs, not at home, not when you're the #1 seed, not when you have the MVP at QB.
This was a HISTORICALLY BAD day for us, offensively. You want to blame it on one bad play by one player on special teams, but ignore the dozens of bad plays by the offense that kept points off the board. No. We're paying Rodgers and Adams and Jones, not the long snapper.
coolhand
October 07, 2023 at 06:28 pm
The fumble by Lewis was a turning point in that game.
Oppy
October 08, 2023 at 03:45 pm
The refusal to ever even look at Marcedes Lewis the rest of the game was a turning point, too.
dobber
October 07, 2023 at 02:46 pm
The margin for error in a low-scoring game like that is razor thin.
dobber
October 07, 2023 at 09:30 am
Moving on...
jlc1
October 07, 2023 at 02:46 pm
An impossibility in the world of sports chatter. But a nice thought.
coolhand
October 07, 2023 at 06:30 pm
I think Adams knew ARod had given up on the Packers and didn't want to be part of the decline anymore.
stockholder
October 07, 2023 at 07:44 pm
If he wants a trade. Try the Jets.
(IMO-Rodgers will get everyone Gute got rid of. )
Agreed; No way would they take a 3, after a 1 & 2.
Packerpasty
October 07, 2023 at 10:55 pm
Why in the hell would Adams want to come back here with a mediocre coach and a mediocre QB....dumbest article yet and theres been some dumb ones...
TxFred
October 08, 2023 at 08:31 am
Forget about Adams, he's clearly playing for his financial interest, passed because he's lose to buds to other teams (AR&Carr) and he's now stuck with this duffus. He knows how to manulipulate the league, work your best deal, but not with the Pack. GPG
Matt
October 09, 2023 at 08:36 am
Adams left Green Bay with his friend and MVP at helm at the time we were eliminated because all the bad things focused in one game. What could be the reason of him going back to Green Bay? We are not contenders nor we have HoF QB.
On the other hand I don't see the long term positives for the Packers too. We wanted to have some kind of katharsis in financial and ego terms. Thanks to him we can win a game or 2 more but his presence would block the in-game development of our young WR room. Get someone of his caliber when we will be one of SB candidates. That will help. Now we are growing our new roots and take care of that.