The Green Bay Packers moved on from standout wide receiver Davante Adams this offseason. They traded him to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for 2022 NFL Draft picks.
This move separates the star pass-catcher from legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the first time in his career. And another legendary Packers signal-caller is expecting a significant drop-off as a result.
Brett Farve joined TMZ Sports for an interview on Friday when the topic of Adams' move came up. The Pro Football Hall of Famer expected a drop-off from the 29-year-old pass-catcher.
"It's just hard to shift gears," Favre reasoned, ", especially from a player as prolific as Aaron Rodgers."
The two-time All-Pro receiver was a game-changer in Green Bay. Drafted in the second round, Adams has been a Pro Bowler for five years running. He has also racked up 1300+ receiving yards in three of the last four seasons.
In his final campaign as a Packer, Adams caught 123 balls for 1553 yards and 11 touchdowns. In 2020, Adams led the league with 18 touchdown catches.
It's a level of production few can match, and even fewer can supersede. Farve believes Adams won't match that level again. In part due to who is throwing Adams the ball.
"I'd be shocked if he had the same year," Farve said. "I think Derek Carr is a very good quarterback." But he's not in Aaron's league yet. May never be. And, that's no disrespect."
Adams, however, vehemently disagrees. He feels that Carr and Rodgers aren't all that different from one another.
"As far as talent and ability, it's really similar, if I'm keeping it real," Adams said in June, via NFL.com. "They throw the ball a lot different. Derek's gonna fire it in there, and you gonna know that thing's coming quick. Aaron's got the ability to tighten that core up and flick that ball to you.
"So the release is a lot different, but being able to get the ball to you late, if they see you coming out of a break, not many quarterbacks can get it to you before you get to the sideline if you're outside the numbers already.
"Having two guys like that with really strong arms, and understand the game, the mental part of it, is another similarity that they have. They both obsess over it and they know everything that's going on out there."
Adams is a highly talented football player. That being said, the questions are at least somewhat warranted.
Carr hadn't played close to an MVP level before he fractured his fibula in 2016. However, Carr hasn't played terribly. And adding a dynamic, game-changing weapon to an offense that already has one in tight end Darren Waller should help the 31-year-old quarterback reach a high level again.
Adams benefitted from playing with Rodgers, but this is an opportunity to prove he can succeed on his own. It's an opportunity that won't be squandered so easily.
