Aaron Rodgers is back but without his right-hand man as the Packers traded Davante Adams to the Raiders on Thursday night
In a stunning trade for the Green Bay Packers’ Super Bowl aspirations, the team traded All-Pro receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night
The Packers will get two draft picks in return: The Raiders’ first-round pick at No. 22 and their second-round choice at No. 53. Along with Green Bay’s choices at No. 28 and No. 59, the Packers are slated to have four of the top 59 selections
How the Packers – and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, specifically – will adjust without the game’s dominant receiver is the mystery. As it stands, the Packers’ main receivers under contract are Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers
Perhaps the Packers can land a veteran in free agency; Adams cost $20.1 million under the franchise tag. Perhaps they can land an instant-impact stud in the first round
Perhaps they can re-sign Robert Tonyan, and he can return to form following last year’s torn ACL. Perhaps all of the above can happen
What can’t be replaced is Rodgers’ otherworldly connection with Rodgers. Rodgers has chemistry with Lazard and Cobb but nothing that compares with the unspoken bond he had with Rodgers
“I told him in the locker room, the thing that I will miss 20 years down the line is moments where you make a subtle adjustment