March 8th Important Date for Green Bay Packers for 2 Big Reasons
By Paul Bretl
March 8th is likely just another day of the week for most of us. However, for the NFL, specifically the Green Bay Packers, this is potentially a franchise-altering date for two primary reasons.
The first is that the window to franchise tag players for the 2022 season closes on this date–and, of course, we are all waiting to see if the Green Bay Packers tag Davante Adams.
If the Packers don’t utilize the franchise tag, Adams will hit the open market on March 16th when free agency opens. Now, that doesn’t mean he still can’t be re-signed, but the odds of that happening take a massive hit.
However, I tend to believe that the Packers will use the tag. For one, then Adams doesn’t hit free agency on the 16th, and it gives Green Bay and him more time to work out a long-term deal. The second reason is that if the two still can’t come to a new contract agreement, Green Bay has the ability to trade Adams and at least get something in return. These are the two alternatives to utilizing the franchise tag, I can’t imagine Adams playing out 2022 on this deal.
If the franchise tag is utilized, Adams’ contract on that one-year deal will be around $20 million, which means an additional $20 million cap hit will be on the books when the new league year begins on March 16th. So, in addition to still needing to clear $26.4 million, add $20 million to that figure, and that is the new deficit that Green Bay will have to overcome.
A recent report from Dan Graziano of ESPN ($$) stated that Adams and the Packers have been in talks, but there hasn’t been “much progress.” Graziano also added that Green Bay still plans to use the franchise tag even if Aaron Rodgers decides he wants to play elsewhere.
Although there is quite a bit of uncertainty at the moment, history says a long-term deal will get done. The Green Bay Packers typically prioritize paying their own free agents over those outside of the organization, and while they very rarely hand out third contracts, as Mark Murphy has mentioned, when they do, it is for future Hall of Famers–a trajectory that Adams is currently on.
The other reason that Tuesday is such a massive date for the Green Bay Packers is that, as Mike Silver of Bally Sports reported, Rodgers is expected to let the organization know what his plans are for 2022.
Although the report from Graziano says that the Packers will franchise tag Adams regardless of what Rodgers does, it’s still a real possibility that whatever Rodgers decides impacts what Green Bay does with Adams.
On top of that, Tuesday is just a week before free agency begins, and the Packers still need to create $26.4 million in cap space before that March 16th date. They have plenty of cap-saving moves at their disposal, but how they go about navigating these financial hurdles is ultimately going to be dictated by what Rodgers decides.
Based on what we’ve heard, the Packers have done seemingly just about everything they can to get Rodgers back to Green Bay. From Murphy to Brian Gutekunst to Matt LaFleur, all have made it very clear that they want him back.
Since last season, Rodgers has been much more involved in the aspects of the game that directly affect his job–something that he has made known that he greatly appreciates. Green Bay is also reportedly willing to make Rodgers the highest-paid player in the game, they hired Tom Clements as the QB coach, but they are also making sure to give Rodgers his space and respecting his decision-making process.
However, even with all of that, there was a report from Ian Rapoport over the weekend saying that Rodgers is still “torn” on what he wants to do. Rapoport also added that there is “lots of positivity” within the Packers organization.
I still believe he will be the Green Bay Packers quarterback in 2022–but we will find out soon.
Calling Tuesday a potentially “franchise-altering” date may sound hyperbolic at first, but if Green Bay doesn’t franchise tag Adams and Rodgers says he wants to be traded, that is very well what it could end up being.