Could Davante Adams be key to Aaron Rodgers being traded to Raiders?

The future of Green Bay Packers’ star wide receiver Davante Adams has become an intriguing side story to the Aaron Rodgers saga with the team.

Adams was thrust into the middle of the Rodgers’ problem with the Packers because he recently said that if Rodgers is traded — which the Packers QB reportedly wants — it could potentially affect his own future with Green Bay. Adams, 28, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

On Tuesday, The Athletic Packers’ beat writer Matt Schneidman floated the question as to whether the Packers may be pushed to take an offer from the Las Vegas Raiders for Rodgers over the Denver Broncos because of Adams’ connection with Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr. The two played together at Fresno State, both entered the NFL as second-round picks in 2014, and still remain close.

This is an interesting theory. The Packers will do everything they can to keep Adams happy if they do trade their superstar quarterback. Replacing Rodgers with Carr could soothe their other star player.

But the entire idea is more complex, of course. The Packers can give Adams the franchise tag in 2022 regardless who the quarterback will be. Also, they selected quarterback Jordan Love in the first round in 2020 (which, of course, went a long way in creating the Rodgers’ mess) and the Packers are said to like Love’s potential. So they may not want Carr in return, which could cause the Raiders to find a third team to involve in the trade to include Carr.

Still, Schneidman’s idea of the Packers wanting to pair Adams and Carr as part of a Rodgers’ trade is an intriguing one as the Rodgers situation continues to percolate. And yes, if Rodgers is traded elsewhere and Adams does hit the free-agent market next year, the Raiders would likely be a favorite to land the receiver and reunite him and Carr in Las Vegas.

So there’s potentially a lot to watch unfold in the next year.