Just because the Green Bay Packers are out of the playoff race doesn’t mean they’re not putting in the work. Friday night they decided to keep Devante Adams in the green and gold with a new four-year contract. Saturday, they did the same with center Corey Linsley with a three-year deal.
For Adams, whose deal is worth $58 million with $18 million guaranteed, the agreement keeps him off the free agent market. He’s busted out with Green Bay over the last two seasons, catching over 74 passes for two consecutive years and caught double-digit touchdowns in both. He was three yards shy of 1,000 last year and 115 yards shy of it this year. He won’t get the chance to hit it as he’s out with a concussion Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
The #Packers have signed WR Devante Adams to a contract extension, per @AdamSchefter!
Went to school in California, he absolutely would’ve been a potential F/A target for the #49ers!
— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) December 29, 2017
Adams was a second round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Fresno State.
Linsley was a fifth rounder in that same draft out of Ohio State. He’s started every game he’s been healthy since his rookie season and is worth the three-year, $25.5 million the team will invest in him to keep Aaron Rodgers’ nose from getting broken on every play.
In other Packers news, the team placed linebacker Nick Perry on injured reserve due to ankle and shoulder injuries. In a corresponding roster move they signed fullback Joe Kerridge.
GIANTS MAKE NOISE THIS WEEKEND
New New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman hasn’t taken the New Year’s weened off. Instead, he’s holding press conferences, talking next year’s plans and showing people the door via catapult.
His first shitcanning was vice president for player evaluation Marc Ross, who never even made it through a full day of Gettleman’s tenure. The firing may not have been performance-related, but more about allowing Ross to land with another team. He was in the mix for the open GM position and was passed over when Gettleman was hired. It probably wouldn’t have been a comfortable work environment for either guy.
“I worked with Marc when I was with the organization before,” Gettleman said. “I have great respect for him and high regard for his work. Clearly, we’re going in a different direction, but that doesn’t make these kinds of decisions any easier.”
#NYGiants GM Dave Gettleman dismisses VP of Player Evaluation Marc Ross. DETAILS: https://t.co/lpH69nxKzl pic.twitter.com/jWrhTUmHNf
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 30, 2017
One decision that seemingly was a lot easier to make was the team’s future with two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning. When asked about Manning’s possible return in 2018, Gettleman seemed pretty clear he was leaning on keeping Eli in the fold.
“I haven’t had access to tape and I’m not avoiding the question, but, obviously, you got to look at the film, see what’s cooking,” Gettleman said Friday. “Eli’s won a lot of games, he’s a great competitor, he’s very intelligent and he and I are going to talk, and if what I saw in Philadelphia was not a mirage, which I don’t believe it was, then we’ll just keep moving.”
It looks as if Eli Manning still has a future with the #Giants after the hiring of Dave Gettleman, writes @BobGlauber https://t.co/LRv2EQvzRb pic.twitter.com/Vrfru9qVj9
— Newsday Sports (@NewsdaySports) December 30, 2017
It’s no secret Manning’s primary weapons in the passing game spent the year on injured reserve. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for the team to add a quarterback high in the draft, considering that even in a perfect scenario, Manning has three more years left. Franchise quarterbacks aren’t easy to find. In the history of the New York Giants organization, they’ve had six since 1925 (Manning, Phil Simms, Frank Tarkenton, Y.A. Tittle, Charlie Connerly and Ed Danowski) with long swaths of worthlessness in between. Only four of those six won titles (Manning, Simms, Connerly and Danowski). Nabbing six in a century means the Giants have been luckier than most teams.
Even if Manning is staying in New York, other players aren’t. Gettleman released offensive tackle Bobby Hart with a waived/injured designation. He also promoted Adam Bisnowaty, Nick Becton and Ryan O’Malley up from the practice squad for the final game.
OTHER NFL NEWS
Philadelphia Eagles second round pick Sidney Jones will make his professional football debut Sunday. Jones tore his Achilles on his pro day back in April and hasn’t played a down of football since. A projected first rounder, he fell to the Eagles in the second.
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