When the Green Bay Packers drafted six wide receivers in a two-year stretch in 2022 and 2023, the hope was that they could grow together as a group and, individually, some of the six would stand out.

When the final nail was hammered into the coffin for the 2024 season, more questions than answers lingered at wide receiver.

As a result of the fogginess, Green Bay has a need at wideout. Whether via free agency, the draft, or trade, the Packers must be active with at least one addition. If they go outside of the draft to replenish their WR cupboard, Davante Adams makes more sense than Cooper Kupp or Deebo Samuel.

The three names listed were not chosen at random.

The Los Angeles Rams have already announced that Kupp will be traded this offseason. Samuel has requested a move from San Francisco, which the team will likely grant.

Then there’s Adams.

The veteran with plenty of gas left in the tank is under contract with the New York Jets. However, it’s become abundantly clear that neither side is motivated to keep the marriage going after half a season.

The domino effect started with news that quarterback Aaron Rodgers won’t be back with the Jets. That set into motion speculation about what jersey Adams could be wearing next season, and it might just be one he’s donned before.

Let’s look at the Packers’ situation.

Romeo Doubs suffered two concussions in 2024, including one in the playoff loss to Philadelphia. Head injuries are nothing to mess around with. While Doubs will be good to go for 2025, according to general manager Brian Gutekunst, it has to be noted. It’d be a tad disingenuous to act like the one-game suspension wasn’t a big deal, either. Doubs, who was reportedly unhappy with his role in the offense, skipped practice on back-to-back days without notifying the team, landing him a one-game suspension in October.

Elsewhere, Christian Watson suffered a gruesome knee injury in the regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears and isn’t expected back until past the halfway point of the 2025 campaign.

Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks had their moments last year. Still, neither showed the consistency to emerge as a true go-to guy in the passing game.

All indicators point towards an addition at wideout. Given what Green Bay has on the roster, a veteran addition makes more sense than a rookie.

Green Bay’s defense is ready now. The offense has an incredible ground game with running back Josh Jacobs. The passing game severely regressed. While not all of the blame for that falls on the wide receivers, some of it certainly does. The foundation is in place. A proven veteran at wideout could take things to the next level.

So, why Adams over Kupp or Samuel?

Adams and the Jets are expected to part ways this offseason. Bringing Adams aboard wouldn’t cost Green Bay any draft compensation. Getting Kupp or Samuel would require Gutekunst to part ways with a couple of picks, albeit probably not a first-rounder for either.

If Green Bay can bring in Adams and keep its full treasure chest of draft picks, that’s already an advantage.

Secondly, the familiarity can’t be ignored.

Adams spent his first eight seasons in Green Bay, played under head coach Matt LaFleur, and knows the system. Yes, we know Aaron Rodgers isn’t around anymore, but he wasn’t in Las Vegas either when the Packers granted Adams a trade to the Raiders.

Kupp and Samuel are proven commodities and have been around long enough to adjust to new surroundings. With Kupp playing for Sean McVay and Samuel for Kyle Shanahan, the offensive systems will have plenty of overlap.

For Adams, it’d still be a more seamless fit.

It’s often said that the best ability is availability, and Adams also offers more of that. Kupp has missed five games in each of the last two seasons and missed eight the year before that. Meanwhile, Adams has missed a grand total of four games in the last four years combined.

And then there’s the sheer production value.

In 14 games this season, Adams turned 141 targets into 85 receptions for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns.

Samuel played in one more game than Adams and only generated 81 targets for 51 receptions, 670 yards, and three touchdowns. If you want to tack on Samuel’s 136 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown on the season, by all means go ahead. It still doesn’t come close to sniffing what Adams pieced together on a struggling Jets team.

From a cost perspective in terms of draft picks, Adams is the play. From a durability standpoint, Adams is the play. And from a production standpoint, Adams is the play.

Adams’ having spent most of his career in Green Bay is just the cherry on top. And let’s not act like there haven’t been vibes put out by Adams, whether they’re genuine or not.

Jayden Daniels… Jordan Love?

Hear him out. pic.twitter.com/I2WQBqlr6i

— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) January 21, 2025

Davante Adams posted this on his IG story 45 mins ago…

I'm sure it means nothing 😳 pic.twitter.com/4uRI8Rideo

— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) January 31, 2025

For what it’s worth, the Packers are also recruiting Adams.

Does Josh Jacobs want his former teammate Davante Adams to join him in Green Bay??? 👀🧀🔊

"Most DEFINITELY… We have a spot for him."@iAM_JoshJacobs @heykayadams @tae15adams | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/OhKXvak46u

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 5, 2025

The question has been whether the Packers need a true, No. 1 wideout.

Yes, they do.

Had you asked two seasons ago, when Green Bay raced to the divisional round before losing in heartbreaking fashion to San Francisco, the answer would’ve been no.

Two years ago, Green Bay shredded the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs. They also had a red-hot passing game in the second half of the season, and there was a genuine belief that, of the core four (Doubs, Reed, Watson, Wicks), at least one and maybe two would emerge as top options.

It never happened, and that’s okay. There’s still time to pivot.

Imagine a wide receiver room where Doubs and Reed are clear No. 2 or No. 3 options instead of needing to be a No. 1 option on any given week. That’s what Adams would provide.

Adams would give quarterback Jordan Love a proven commodity and a reliable option in crunch time. The attention Adams would receive would also cut the other four loose even more. His mentoring, assuming he’s willing, would also be invaluable to what is currently a very young room.

Will Adams end up with the Packers? Who knows. Maybe he’ll prefer going back to the West Coast or following Rodgers wherever he ends up. Does it make sense for the Packers to go the Adams route over names like Kupp or Samuel? That much is crystal clear.