Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams is on top of his game. The eight-year man out of Fresno State already has 106 catches this season for 1,362 yards and 10 touchdowns and there are still two games left on the schedule.
He earned Pro Bowl honors for the fifth straight season and is widely considered one of the best if not the best receivers in the NFL today.
The 2021 season is also the third straight year Adams has caught at least 100 passes, gained 1,300 or more yards and caught at least 10 touchdown passes.
As good as he’s been all season, Adams has been red-hot in recent weeks. He has more than 100 yards receiving in four of the last five games and has seven touchdown catches in those five contests.
Adams is closing in on more milestones both for a single season and in Packers franchise history. If Adams gains 157 more yards, he will surpass Jordy Nelson’s single-season franchise record of 1,519 yards. And before you say that Adams is playing a 17-game season while Nelson had only 16, keep in mind that Adams missed one game in Covid protocols and can only play a maximum of 16 games this season.
If Adams makes nine more catches, he will match the Packers single-season receptions record that he set a year ago with 115.
He is also just 70 yards away from reaching 8,000 yards receiving in his career. He is just 61 yards away from tying Hall of Famer Don Hutson’s career yardage mark. If he can gain 204 more yards receiving this season, he can pass both Hutson and Sterling Sharpe and move into third place on the franchise’s all-time receiving yards list.
Adams has an excellent work ethic both on the practice field and in the film room. His preparation helps give him an edge over defenders especially by making it difficult for defensive backs to read his pass patterns off the snap of the ball. His body control and precise route running keeps defenders guessing.
Adams also has outstanding chemistry with Aaron Rodgers and has now caught 70 touchdown passes from AR-12, making them the franchise’s leading quarterback/receiver combo in that category.
“It’s awesome,” Adams said when asked about that record. “It’s just a testament to the type of people we are. Our coaches over the years are putting us in great positions to make plays and we’re just capitalizing on them. We’re both two guys who don’t get complacent. We always find a way to continue to push the envelope and push the other people around us and just keep getting better, so we’re not done yet.”
Earlier this season, Rodgers spoke about his chemistry with his favorite receiver. “It’s a lot of communication. So, in-game stuff, we’re always making slight adjustments,” Rodgers explained. “He’s one of those guys, he’s such a savvy player. His football IQ is so high. We’re just always checking in on the sidelines, looking at the tablet. And I make sure to check in with him on certain plays. Even after the play, we’ll will look over and give a nod, or some sort of non-verbal communication.”
Rodgers also showed how much confidence he has in Adams when he said, “There’s no 50-50 balls with Davante. You feel incredibly confident that he’s going to come down with it. He’s such a talented player. He’s a difference maker.”
Head coach Matt LaFleur added, “There’s not many words to describe the connection those guys have. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Adams’ future in Green Bay remains a question. His contract expires at the end of the season and since this may be his last chance to cash in on a big, long-term deal, he has already indicated he will not be offering the Packers any home team discounts. The future of Rodgers is also a factor in Adams’ decision. If Rodgers stays in Green Bay next season, that gives Adams more incentive to stay, but it also makes it more difficult for the Packers to fit both star players under the cap.
But right now, the focus is on reaching his first Super Bowl. Since joining the Packers in 2014, Tae has played in four NFC Championship Games but has yet to reach football’s ultimate game. If this “The Last Dance” for this version of the Green Bay Packers, Adams wants to the season to end with a celebration. That is the task ahead of the NFL’s best receiver right now.
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