Green Bay Packers: Davante Adams proving to be a true No. 1 receiver

Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams is proving to be one of the best in the league after six games in 2018.

For the Green Bay Packers, letting go of Jordy Nelson was never going to be easy. A strong dose of Davante Adams has helped relieve that pain. New general manager Brian Gutekunst elected to part ways with Nelson before the onslaught of free agency, a decision that freed up $10.2 million in cap space. So far, it looks to have been a wise choice.

After six games, Davante Adams is tied for first in the NFL in touchdown catches with six. He stands in third place for receptions (47) and sixth in yards (557). Perhaps most importantly, though, he’s been Aaron Rodgers‘ go-to man. Through six weeks, Adams has already seen a whopping 71 targets, good for third-most in the entire league.

It’s not as if Packers fans were ever doubting Adams’ abilities, though. After all, this is a player who currently leads the NFL in touchdown receptions (28) since 2016. In fact, Adams is on pace for 16 touchdowns this season alone. If Rodgers continues targeting him 10+ times per game, he may even top that number.

In all reality, Rodgers may have to keep hyper-targeting Adams. With Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison both nursing hamstring injuries, Adams remains the lone receiver whom Rodgers has a strong rapport with.

In addition to Cobb and Allison’s absences, tight end Jimmy Graham hasn’t gotten the opportunity to gain a strong connection with Rodgers in practice. Both players are dealing with knee injuries and have been practicing in limited fashions for most of the past few weeks.

As for the rookie receivers, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been a nice find in the fifth-round, while Equanimeous St. Brown has had splashes of brilliance as well. That being said, there’s been plenty of times they haven’t been on the same page as No. 12 – particularly Valdes-Scantling. There have been several instances where Rodgers has had to have teachable moments with his young pass catchers.

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That leaves the lone ranger, Davante Adams, as the main target for the Packers quarterback. So far, Adams has performed up to expectations, and he’s getting it done in a variety of ways. Possibly his greatest trait is his ability to gain a free release off the line of scrimmage. Adams’ signature basketball crossover release is what allows him to burn cornerbacks right from the get-go.

Then there’s his ability to win the ball in the air. When Adams isn’t getting open with his incredible route-running and short area quickness, he’s probably making a contested catch, as demonstrated several times on 50-50 balls in the end zone (as shown below). His physicality and body control put him in constant position to make a play on the ball.

But most importantly, Adams has one thing going for him that no other Packers receiver can claim: the unequivocal trust of Rodgers. The connection between Adams and his quarterback has been on constant display this season, and there’s no indication that should stop anytime soon.

Adams has shown time and time again this season that he’s one of the best receivers in the game. Not that many people were doubting him going into the season, but there’s certainly no questions now about his ability to be a true No. 1 receiver. Davante Adams is here to stay, so get used to it.