Rumors swirl around Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
It has been an offseason of unhappiness and uncertainty for the Green Bay Packers. And with training camp about to begin Wednesday, the rumors, whispers and innuendo have swirled with increasing intensity.
At this point, NFL fans should be well aware of the story around the Packers and disgruntled MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, so we won’t rehash it all here – but you can refresh your memory by reading the latest on the Rodgers saga, which dives into the whole backstory.
In the meantime, the temperature around all of it has crept up a notch or two over the last day or so.
On Friday, a report surfaced that Davante Adams, the Packers' star receiver and Rodgers' favorite target, was unlikely to reach an agreement on a contract extension, according to ESPN.
Adams, a 28-year-old, four-time Pro Bowler, is entering the final season of his four-year, $58 million deal. In May, he told Colin Cowherd the Rodgers situation was definitely impacting how he viewed his own future with the team.
"It would change a lot," he said of a potential Rodgers departure. "Doesn't mean potentially I'd be gone, but I'd definitely have to do some extra thinking if my guy wasn't here."
This browser does not support the Video element.
Green Bay wide receiver Davante Adams joins Colin Cowherd to discuss Aaron Rodgers' frustration with the Packers.
Adding to the confusion around Adams' situation is the fact Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr has been open about wanting to recruit Adams – his former teammate at Fresno State – to the Raiders.
For more up-to-date news on all things Packers, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!
While Packers fans were contemplating the meaning behind the Adams report, rumors started to swirl that Rodgers might be prepping to make a big announcement.
The source, in this case, was Las Vegas sports books, some of which removed over-under win total wagering on the Packers due to speculation that the quarterback would … wait for it … announce his retirement ahead of training camp.
Whether those reports were legitimate, simply a sign that the quarterback would use the threat to pressure the Packers, or nothing but smoke is unclear, but it was enough to impact the betting markets.
Keep in mind that if Rodgers did make a trade-me-or-I'll-retire demand to the Packers, the team doesn't have to comply, and if Rodgers went through with it, he could potentially lose a $6.8 million roster bonus and might even have to repay $11.5 million in signing bonus money.
On the other hand, if Rodgers did retire, would Jordan Love be the right quarterback to lead a roster the Packers hope is a contender? It's a dangerous – and potentially costly – game to play for both sides.
Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Rodgers had rejected a contract extension from the Packers that would have made him the highest-paid player in the NFL. So perhaps this isn't a situation that can be fixed by a big payday.
As if all of this weren’t enough, both Rodgers and Adams took to their Instagram Stories on Friday night to make the same cryptic post – an image of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen from "The Last Dance" documentary.
Reactions to that news ran the gamut. What did it all mean?
Perhaps it meant Adams and Rodgers were prepping for one "last dance" season with the Packers together. Perhaps it meant they were sticking together as holdouts.
Or perhaps it meant they both like the Michael Jordan documentary (or nothing at all).
And so Packers fans are left to watch it all unfold over the next couple of days until training camp begins on Wednesday. Perhaps things will clear up a bit then, or perhaps they won't.
Either way, it will be interesting to watch.
For more up-to-date news on all things NFL, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!