Davante Adams' Contract Looks Better With Every New Receiver Deal Inked
Michael Thomas's record new contract with the Saints makes Davante Adams look like an absolute bargain.
By TimBackes
At the end of the 2017 season, the Green Bay Packers signed wide receiver Davante Adams to a four-year, $58 million deal. Adams had not yet had a 1,000-yard season. He was, however, coming off a season in which he was the only receiver to put up decent numbers and be a reliable target for backup quarterback Brett Hundley, whose awful performance in his stretch of starts could have been even worse had he not had Adams to rely on.
At the time, the contract made Adams the fourth-highest paid receiver in the league, behind only Antonio Brown, Deandre Hopkins and AJ Green, in that order. There was some hand-wringing from pundits and fans about whether or not the Packers overpaid, especially considering they had two other $10 million per year receivers on the roster ni Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, but the Packers were confident they had their guy.
Not long after that, Nelson was cut. A year later, the Packers allowed Cobb to walk. Now, the Packers have Adams locked up for another three seasons on this contract, one that now ranks just 11th in the league in average dollar value per year, despite Adams being easily a top 10 and borderline top 5 player at the position.
That dollar value is only going to look better as time goes on. And it looks especially excellent considering the latest big-time contract handed out to the Saints' Michael Thomas.
Thomas signed a five-year, $100 million contract with $61 million of new guaranteed money, smashing records that previously existed for the position. Thomas has been an excellent player in his first three seasons for the Saints, and his landmark deal is likely to blow the roof off the receiver market, especially considering some of the other big names who will soon be eyeing contract extensions (namely Julio Jones).
As it stands, the following players are now making more money per year than Adams: Thomas, Odell Beckham, Jr., Brown, Mike Evans, Hopkins, Brandin Cooks, Adam Thielen, Sammy Watkins, Jarvis Landry and Green.
It's safe to say that Adams would be a consensus pick over a few names on that list in terms of quality.
Safe to say, the Packers were fortunate to be able to sign Adams at the time they did. While his value to the team was clear, the team could also easily make the argument that he still had more to prove, particulraly statistically. Now they have one of the best value contracts in the league for a skill position player.
Getting good players on team-friendly contracts is not easy to accomplish. When teams are able to pull it off, they must be able to capitalize. The Packers were able to shed some weight over the offseason, moving on from overvalued contracts for players like Cobb, Clay Matthews and Nick Perry. Now it's time to find out if they've invested wisely in other areas of their team.
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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.
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Comments (42)
Samson
August 01, 2019 at 12:03 pm
It's still amazing how many pundits & fans wanted Adams gone after his 2nd season in GB.... Now he's one of the top WRs in the NFL & now suddenly with a team friendly contract.... It's how championship teams are put together.
murf7777
August 01, 2019 at 09:43 pm
Samson you are so right I defended him a few times on the Packers comments section during the pre season of his third year. I always thought he was our most athletic receiver at the time. He also showed very good route running. I was chastised by some. I felt he was headed to be very good to great player. Everyone learns at a different pace and I’m hoping another Adams has his breakout this year, although I’m not predicting it as I was about devante.
Samson
August 01, 2019 at 09:58 pm
You & me the same. ... I defended him also going into his 3rd season & "others" thought I was crazy on this blog.... However, I'll never admit to his current status. --- I thought he'd be a great #2 WR for the Pack for years. I never imagined him being an elite NFL WR. --- DD's career stats may be in jeopardy if Adams can play long & healthy.
TarynsEyes
August 01, 2019 at 12:07 pm
If Adams has a monster year in this new offense, I'd expect him to demand a new deal while having two years left on this one.
From another view point, I hope this offense doesn't make him appear average via usage where he wants a trade.
Possible this new offense creates more cap issues than solves them.
Samson
August 01, 2019 at 12:32 pm
You're putting the cart before the horse.
The thing about prognosticators is that they are more wrong than right.
TarynsEyes
August 01, 2019 at 12:46 pm
So you believe Adams above either possibility?
LambeauPlain
August 01, 2019 at 01:56 pm
Your comments are some of the most negative, pessimistic, glass half full words I read.
Maybe Adams has higher character than you ascribe to him. Maybe Adams isn’t an envious, me first teammate. Maybe Adams appreciates all the money the Packers are paying him to play with one of the best QBs in NFL history. Maybe Adams will hold up his end of the bargain on a deal HE SIGNED. Maybe Adams would be happy to collect fewer receptions as long as the team returns to the SB playoffs.
TarynsEyes
August 01, 2019 at 02:33 pm
Just putting something there to think about is not negative. Every GM probably has these thoughts about their players. What's the big deal other than trying to attack anything I say.
Think outside your kool-aid box and just consider the possible. I don't know Adams and neither do you.
Enough with bs half glass crap...it's old and over used.
stockholder
August 01, 2019 at 03:13 pm
Adams is/ was very lucky. He got a big vote of Confidence from MM, TT, and Rodgers. The VIP treatment he gets now, he earned.
Charvid
August 01, 2019 at 03:27 pm
Not over used....you are and no one on this blog would argue it.
LambeauPlain
August 01, 2019 at 06:26 pm
You always want people to consider your negative, pessimistic comments. And yes, glass half full describes you perfectly. Just because you have read it before does not make it less descriptive of your comment.s
Mostly those comments are unworthy of additional thought.
TarynsEyes
August 01, 2019 at 11:02 pm
You should never turn your back to the ocean while dreaming of the positives your enjoying and believing all will remain calm and happy.
Even the best of character people can be a blindsiding wave crashing upon you.
MarkinMadison
August 02, 2019 at 07:11 am
I seriously doubt any GM sits there thinking, "Well, if he looks TOO good in the new offense then he'll want a new contract BUT if he doesn't look good ENOUGH then he'll demand a trade SO I guess we shouldn't change our offense." You're not glass half empty, you're glass all empty.
mattgsx
August 01, 2019 at 03:20 pm
Adams had a great statistical year last year, despite a pretty poor performance of the team around him. If he has a similar, or better year this year, I honestly wouldn't blame him if he asks for an extension in the middle of his contract.
Put it in perspective. If you're getting paid to do a job, and either your performance is outstripping your expectations, or if the market value for your role has dramatically increased relative to your current pay, you're probably going to ask for a raise. Especially if you know that there is a short window available to you to earn your max worth. Most of us have career arcs that could potentially last 30-50 years. Not 10-15. If you're a starting-caliber skill position player, you are going to want to earn everything you can, while you can.
In terms of the "hold up the end of the bargain on a deal he signed"? Contracts mean nothing beyond the signing bonus and any guaranteed future pay, especially if any future salary is tied to being on the roster. The Packers can cut any player at any time, and while they may have some future guarantees to pay, they're generally out very little in actual cash - just dead money as prorated signing bonuses (think depreciation on assets) still have to be accounted for on cash already spent.
In terms of ability to actually pull off an extension like this? The Packers could take the salary that would be due to him in the last 2 years of his deal, convert it to signing bonus so he gets it all as cash, and then do a new 4 year deal where the first two years have relatively modest pay, and then years 3/4 are escalated. I hope they don't do it as that tends to make for salary cap hell. Otherwise, the Packers could do for Adams what the Patriots did for Gronk. Don't extend the contract (which would mean a new signing bonus and a reset on amortization tables), but add in a fresh mix of LTBE and NLTBE incentives that make his pay on par with other top players at his position, as long as his performance continues to match those new higher expectations.
JonathanSpader
August 01, 2019 at 05:37 pm
The problem with extending Adams is his concussion history. Look what happened when the Packers signed Sam Shields to a big extension. That was a lot of dead money to eat. I hope Adams continues to dominate and make this contract look like a wise investment. I fear his career could be over if he suffers 1 more concussion.
I don't consider this being negative or a glass half empty approach. Just like I don't consider Taryn bringing up that Adams could theoretically sit out if he isn't compensated for outplaying his contract being negative. This is a discussion and we should try to consider all possibilities good or bad and just hope for the good.
LambeauPlain
August 01, 2019 at 06:36 pm
It is a discussion and it has been my observation Taryn is negative most of the time. Why be a fan if it makes you negative in your outlook?
From what I have observed from Adams is he is a hard worker, team oriented and entirely grateful for his position as a Packer.
The best indicator of future performance are past results. I would be shocked if Adams decided to become Antonio Brown. Could it possibly happen? Sure. And #12 could demand to be traded after Family Night. That likely won't happen either. But let's discuss it anyway....sheesh.
Thegreatreynoldo
August 01, 2019 at 10:12 pm
Matt G. doesn't take into account that Adams negotiated and signed a personal services contract. The team paid Adams $25M before he played a down on his new contract. The team has to pay Adams even if he pulls a Haynesworth.
Adams will earn $7.25M in cash in 2019. It wouldn't be the first time a player forgot the huge signing bonus he got in the past (2017/2018).
Adams probably will earn $13M in cash in 2020.
Adams probably will earn $13M in cash in 2022.
Character matters. I wrote for years never give Raji a ton of guaranteed money. I don't blame Raji for retiring, but I always thought he didn't love football and would retire when he could. Retiring can cause headaches if the player has pocketed signing bonus, especially if it was in lieu of base pay, a device always used by GB, so arguments can ensue.
TarynsEyes
August 02, 2019 at 10:20 am
My negative views have been correct much more than anyone's positive views have been correct as to certain players and team over all.
I still consider myself a great fan because I don't deny the negative. I don't put much into false hope as many do....I have stated this season they get 9 wins and maybe more depending and yet I get told I'm wrong because by some here that 8 wins will be hard....Who's negative.
When I see good I'm in on it and when I see bad, I get all over it without hesitation for either.
IceBowl
August 02, 2019 at 12:08 pm
Tarynfor12 ,
I guess you should be in Vegas. You could be a millionaire.
Oh never mind, you probably have been beating them for years. $$$$
Just simple, sound reasoning.
Lare
August 01, 2019 at 12:46 pm
You have to look at the big picture. Every salary cap is a mix of value contracts and what appear to be over-priced contracts.
A GM's job is to be looking 3-4 years in the future. Sometimes they win (like with Adams, Clark and Bakhtiari) and sometimes they lose (like with Matthews, Perry and Cobb).
We shall see how the Smith's, Amos, Lowry and Turner contracts turn out.
Thegreatreynoldo
August 01, 2019 at 10:18 pm
I agree. But teams have to be able to win some. If players routinely hold out if they outperform their contracts, then the big picture doesn't work.
RWood832
August 01, 2019 at 01:10 pm
Who was the GM that authorized/negotiated that extension?
Cubbygold
August 01, 2019 at 02:31 pm
I don't think anyone's allowed to say good things about him yet
RWood832
August 01, 2019 at 05:21 pm
Congrats Cubby on getting my point.
Rak43
August 03, 2019 at 06:20 am
Devante signed his deal on Dec 17'th 2017, at which point Murphy had already had discussions with TT about stepping down do to his aoutonomic disorder. One would have to assume that Russ Ball was behind getting that contract done. Common sense would say any decisions TT would try to make at that time would've been highly scrutinized.
dblbogey
August 01, 2019 at 04:00 pm
Couldn't be that idiot who also drafted Davante, and Bahktiari, C. Linsley, A. Jones, K. Clark, M. Adams, K. King, D. Lowry and A. Rodgers.
RWood832
August 01, 2019 at 05:22 pm
Congrats Double B on getting my point. Not everything TT did in the past few years turned to s..t.
NickPerry
August 02, 2019 at 05:15 am
Yup...It's the same dude (won't call him an idiot) who drafted Alex Green, Thronton, McMillan, Worthy, Bradford, Datone Jones, Randall, Spriggs, and Rollins to name just a few.
BTW... Did you REALLY name Kevin King? I understand he's looked good in about the 10 of the 15 games he's played in. But even IF he played like Revis does it offset the 17 games missed for injuries to the part of his body he had problems with in college? No one wants King to succeed more than me...Especially with each sack, TJ Watt picks up for Pittsburgh.
Hey, Ted was GREAT for a few years or about half of the time in GB. For a guy who was notorious for getting rid of players a year too early instead of a year too late, he sure as hell didn't apply that rule to himself...But that's on Murphy I suppose.
MarkinMadison
August 02, 2019 at 07:13 am
The same guy who inked Nick Perry... Everyone is going to have hits and misses.
dobber
August 02, 2019 at 09:31 am
Seems unimportant, anymore. Live in 2019 and beyond...
LambeauPlain
August 01, 2019 at 01:58 pm
And two years from now Thomas’s deal will look like a “bargain”.
dblbogey
August 01, 2019 at 04:03 pm
So will Aaron Rodger's.
flackcatcher
August 01, 2019 at 05:57 pm
Yup. Welcome to the new NBA style contracts that the NFLPA wants. Ugh!
Bearmeat
August 01, 2019 at 02:01 pm
Right now the Packers are in fair shape cap wise, despite paying top 5 money to Z Smith and top market money to ARod. It's because of deals like Bakh and Adams. I was thrilled with both of those contracts the day they were signed.
murf7777
August 01, 2019 at 09:50 pm
Bearmeat, next year according to OTC we will be 26th in salary cap. How is that in good shape? Only positive is the Bears and Vikings will be 30&32nd respectively.
Bearmeat
August 02, 2019 at 09:40 am
Compared to our "win now" mode, 26th isn't bad. In a hard cap league, these things go in cycles. The only way the Pats have stayed relevant so long is that Brady took a criminally undervalued deal for a decade and a half. Grrrrr....
dobber
August 02, 2019 at 09:49 am
There will be cuts. Players will not be resigned. It's roster management in light of the current CBA. People pooh-pooh "draft and develop" but it's still the lifeblood of most teams: you must have a large number of young, talented players on rookie deals to offset what you're spending at the top of your roster. Certainly there seems to be encouraging signs in terms of roster depth that there might be replacements in-house for some of these guys that will likely be let walk.
4thand1
August 01, 2019 at 03:28 pm
The front office is looking like magicians right now. Team got younger, signed their own really good players and let dead weight walk. Hungrier, faster, and better...............can't wait.
Lphill
August 01, 2019 at 04:29 pm
Thomas is being overpaid just like Landon Collins .
PatrickGB
August 01, 2019 at 04:57 pm
I hope we can get Clark locked in before he becomes too expensive to keep. Like Adams, he is flying under the radar so that helps with the $.
LambeauPlain
August 01, 2019 at 06:29 pm
I do too and getting him into a new contracts is one of the main reasons Iron Mike is a Lion.
MarkinMadison
August 02, 2019 at 07:14 am
I don't think Clark is flying under the radar...