Report: Rodgers deal allows Packers to tag Davante Adams originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Shockwaves were sent through NFL circles on Tuesday with multiple reports of a new deal that will keep Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay for the foreseeable future. The immediate impacts are clear: The Packers will remain favorites to win the NFC North, and the Bears will have a tougher task ahead of them to make improvements in the division.
According to Ian Rapoport however, the way Rodgers’ deal is structured could have even more implications for both the Packers and the Bears.
This was largely expected, as Packers GM Brian Gutekunst had previously said he was very confident the team would find a way to retain both of its superstar players. Now, with Rodgers’ contract taken care of, the Packers have the path forward to make it happen.
Despite the long odds, many Bears fans were hoping Ryan Poles would get the opportunity to sign Adams in free agency. Darnell Mooney is the only wide receiver who played significant snaps in 2021 returning next year, so the Bears have a lot of work to do to fill out the position group. If Adams had hit the market, he immediately would have become one of the best wideouts to become a free agent in recent memory. But now, with both Adams and Chris Godwin expected to be retained by their respective teams, the potential free agent market has thinned considerably towards the top.
Of course, it also ensures that Rodgers will have his favorite target for one more season, too. Last year, Jaylon Johnson did a commendable job defending Davante Adams. But the Packers schemed ways to get Adams open, and the Bears didn’t have an answer. This year, they’ll have to bolster their defenses under Matt Eberflus and try to find a new way of shutting down the Rodgers-Adams connection.
Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
