Checking In On Former Packers: Adams, Valdes-Scantling, And St. Brown
The Green Bay Packers had a handful of wide receivers leave Lambeau this offseason. But are they performing as well without back-to-back NFL MVP Quarterback Aaron Rodgers?
This last offseason, Green Bay traded Davante Adams to Las Vegas and let Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown sign elsewhere in free agency. Losing three receivers in a single offseason when your team lacks depth at that position is a nightmare scenario. So while maybe some fans haven’t, the Packers have moved on, and so have their former players. But is the grass greener on the other side of the field?
Davante Adams
When Davante Adams was traded to Las Vegas back in March, Packers fans didn’t know how to feel. They lost the best wide receiver in football and knew that Green Bay didn’t have anyone near his level to attempt to replace his production. The Packers reportedly offered Adams a similar deal to the five-year, $140 million contract he later signed with Las Vegas. Though, to Davante, it was about more than money. His family could never see him play professionally, a player’s dream. He chose to play football with his best friend and college quarterback, Derek Carr. On a personal level, the move to Las Vegas was the best move to make for Davante.
Statistically, however, Davante and the Raiders have not performed that well. Adams, as expected, is still the electrifying playmaker that he was in Green Bay. Through the first six weeks of the season, Davante has 37 receptions for 509 yards and five touchdowns, ranking him at WR7 in yards per game (per Pro Football Reference). The Raiders sporting a 2-4 record is something Adams has shown frustration about, as well as his quarterback’s level of play.
Earlier in the offseason, Davante referred to Derek Carr as a “Hall of Famer” when asked about going from actual Hall of Fame lock Aaron Rodgers to Carr, drawing some criticism from Packers fans. I doubt he is having second thoughts about the trade, but it’s impossible not to see the frustration from Adams every week.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Although he struggled with dropped passes during his tenure with Green Bay, Marquez Valdes-Scantling played well enough to earn a three-year, $30 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs last offseason. Primarily a deep-threat speedster in Green Bay, MVS didn’t perform as Green Bay expected him to when he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Putting up 2,153 yards and 13 touchdowns in his time with Green Bay, Marquez never became a household name in Green Bay, becoming more of a fan favorite for his personality and Twitter interactions with friend and former teammate, Kenny Clark.
Valdes-Scantling’s presence in Kansas City’s offense is much more prevalent. Losing Tyreek Hill in the offseason, the Chiefs rebuilt their receiving core, signing Juju Smith-Schuster and MVS while still having fellow speedster Mecole Hardman on the roster. Averaging 52.7 yards per game in 2022, MVS is much more of a use to the Kansas City offense than he was with Green Bay. Still struggling with drops, MVS is boasting the highest catch percentage of his career at 57.9%. Would MVS have continued to contribute to the lackluster Green Bay offense? Absolutely. The difference for Marquez, though, is that he’s winning games. He’s making his money. I’m sure he doesn’t regret leaving Green Bay at all.
Equanimeous St. Brown
One of the best names in sports was drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 Draft. During his time with Green Bay, Equanimeous St. Brown struggled to find a spot in the offense. Bouncing back and forth from the practice squad and dealing with a season-long ankle injury in 2019, St. Brown never amounted to much, putting up only 543 yards and one touchdown in his three years on the Packers. His brother, Lions receiver Amon Ra St. Brown, has become a bright spot in the Detroit offense.
Joining Green Bay’s biggest rival, the Chicago Bears, last offseason, Equanimeous was expected to be a starting receiver, and he has been. In a struggling offense run by second-year quarterback Justin Fields, however, St. Brown hasn’t had a performance that proves Green Bay missed out on letting him leave in free agency. Putting up 158 yards and one touchdown in 2022, Equanimeous isn’t a primary playmaker in the Chicago offense. It seems it’s a common trend for former Packers to join division rivals, almost as if they’re getting revenge. Even with Green Bay underperforming this season, I’m sure St. Brown misses catching passes from a more established quarterback.
Green Bay has struggled all across the board this season. While no one can dispute that the loss of Davante has made a drastic impact on the offense, it’s hard to believe that keeping MVS and St. Brown would have made much of a difference. Maybe the front office could make a trade for a playmaker, though fans shouldn’t expect one guy to be a cure-all for this organization.
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