Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he was “surprised” by the decision to trade two-time All-Pro receiver Davante Adams last month in his first public comments since signing a contract extension with the only NFL team he’s ever played for.
While speaking Thursday night on Pat McAfee’s SiriusXM and YouTube show, Rodgers said he believed that his own three-year, $150m extension that ensured his return for an 18th season with the Packers would prompt Green Bay’s front office to come to terms with Adams.
“It was a little surprising with Davante,” Rodgers said. “Obviously when I made my decision, I was still thinking he was going to come back. I was very honest with him about my plans and my future and where I saw my career going, as far as how many years I want to play. But I felt like he was going to be back. Didn’t obviously turn out that way but I have so much love for ‘Tae and appreciate the time we spent together and definitely wish him the best in Derek [Carr] in Vegas. But that’s a big hole to fill.”
The Packers received an extra first-round and second-round pick for shipping Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. But they came no closer to finding new targets for the 38-year-old Rodgers during Thursday’s night’s first round of the NFL draft, passing up on a chance to boost their receiving depth with either of their first-round choices. They instead continued loading up on defensive players from Georgia by selecting linebacker Quay Walker with the 22nd overall selection and taking tackle Devonte Wyatt six picks later.
Focusing on defense in the first round is nothing new for the Packers.
Green Bay’s selection of Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick in 2020 is the only time in the last 11 drafts that the Packers have selected an offensive player in the first round. Before that, the Packers hadn’t chosen an offensive player in the first round since taking Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod 32nd overall in 2011.
The Packers haven’t taken a wide receiver in the first round since selecting Javon Walker in 2002.
This seemed to be a year in which that trend might change because the Packers lacked proven receivers after trading Adams to the Raiders for the 22nd and 53rd overall picks. A run on wide receivers earlier in the first round might have caused the Packers to look elsewhere.
Rodgers said on Thursday that Green Bay had six wide receivers rated as first-rounders and that all of them were taken among the first 18 picks.
“There’s some veteran guys out there that I think could be possibilities and also we have two picks in the second round,” Rodgers said on McAfee’s show. “I’m sure there’s some guys on the board they probably like.”
Rodgers also said he felt like the Packers were “in the mix” for some of the receivers on the trade market this offseason, but expressed doubt that Green Bay would be able to add a crown jewel like San Francisco star Deebo Samuel.
“There’s not a lot of teams that probably want to trade receivers to Green Bay, so I think we’re probably at the back of the line for a lot of these teams,” Rodgers said. “But at the same time, I think if you’re not going to pay Davante – obviously, we traded him, he wanted to move on – but going out and paying another guy, I don’t know if that makes a ton of sense.”
He continued: “I feel like we’ve been in the mix but does San Francisco really want to trade Deebo Samuel to us?
“I’m sure Packer nation will be wondering why we didn’t take a receiver or trade up but at this point, you’ve just got to have some faith in the organization and faith that whoever we bring in tomorrow and the rest of this draft, I’m going to put in the time to make it work with those guys and we’re going to find a way in Matt’s offense to be successful, like we always have.
“It’s not going to be any different this year, we’re going to be in the mix.”
Rodgers, a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player, emphasized that he wasn’t upset or even surprised by Green Bay’s decision, noting that he had been in communication with the team’s decision-makers throughout the night.
“It’s a tough business, it’s a wonderful profession,” Rodgers said. “Those of us who have been [able] to play for so long realize that completely. There’s a lot of things that happen that surprise you, even still. I thought that based on the number that we offered Davante and being able to play with me for a few more years would make a difference, but in the end I think he was ready to move on and wanted my help in making that happen.
“It was a tough position to be in, for sure, because I love him and I care about him and I want him to be happy, and he’s definitely going to be missed.”