Packers 'Perhaps' Didn't Know Identity Before Davante Adams Trade, NFL Exec Says

An NFL executive believes the Green Bay Packers may not have been aware of wide receiver Davante Adams' true impact before trading him to the Las Vegas Raiders during the offseason.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, an anonymous NFL personnel executive said the Packers "perhaps didn't realize what their identity was," which was for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to throw the ball up to Adams when a play was needed on offense.

The exec noted that the decision to trade Adams "did not work," and that Green Bay should have kept its No. 1 wideout for Rodgers' "peace of mind."

Rodgers and the Green Bay offense have been shells of their former selves this season, which is why the Packers have been arguably the most disappointing team in the NFL with a 4-8 record.

While Rodgers was NFL MVP in both 2020 and 2021, the 18-year veteran has largely looked average this season, completing 64.8 percent of his passes for 2,682 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Much of that seemingly has to do with a lack of established weapons. Without Adams in the fold, Rodgers has had to lean on Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins and rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs at receiver, although most of them have missed significant time due to injury.

That, in turn, has caused Rodgers to hold the ball longer than usual, and it has resulted in him getting sacked 24 times in 12 games.

Adams isn't enjoying much team success either this season, playing for the 4-7 Raiders, but he has continued to be a stud individually with Derek Carr throwing him the ball.

Through 11 games, Adams has made 71 grabs for 999 yards and 10 touchdowns, putting him in the mix to possibly be a first-team All-Pro for the third year in a row.

Adams has finished with double-digit touchdowns three years in a row and six of the past seven seasons, plus he had well over 100 catches in both 2020 and 2021, and a career-high 1,553 yards last season.

It is now blatantly obvious that Adams was the one who made the Green Bay offense go, and it is no coincidence that the Packers now look like a cellar-dwelling team after three straight 13-win seasons from 2019 to 2021.