Cory's Corner: It's Montravius Adams' Time

Montravius Adams enter stage right. 

On Wednsday, one day before Packers’ training camp opened, Green Bay released defensive tackle Mike Daniels. Granted, it was a smart move because the Packers will be able to squirrel over $8.3 million away. 

But the move was a clear message. The Packers are counting on Adams to step into the spotlight and become a dynamic player. (And ironically enough, the day the Packers made the move, Adams turned 24.)

Many of you may not even recognize Adams’ name. The former 3rdround pick in 2017 has only started one game in two seasons and last fall, many were wondering if Adams was a bust.

It makes sense why Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine likes Adams. At Auburn, he played on the interior of the line as well as the outside and was effective at stopping the run and the pass. 

The thing Pettine is stressing more than anything is versatility. He doesn’t want guys to get typecast into one position, but would rather see them do multiple things. I really liked Daniels. He was the heartbeat of the defense and he was the emotional leader by being the ever-present “nasty boy.” However, he is by no means versatile. He cannot line up all over the place because of his physical limitations. 

Essentially what the Packers did was make a move that the Patriots always do. Bill Belichick is known for getting rid of guys a little too soon. That works out just fine because he doesn’t want to spend big bucks for a guy that doesn’t have any prime years left. 

Same thing with Daniels. The seven-year pro was a 2017 Pro Bowler but it was hard to justify his $10.7 cap hit for this season. Daniels was the perfect teammate — he ate up blocks, which allowed other guys to make plays. 

However, this move is about numbers. If Daniels had a smaller salary, he likely would still be a Packer. 

But what it does is point to more change. The Packers have seen plenty of change in the coaching staff, personnel and even the front office. The culture has changed at 1265 Lombardi Ave, which is a good thing. You cannot allow yourself to be content, especially when things are average. 

And that’s why it’s Adams’ time. The new regime trusts what he brings to the table and they are also gambling that he will stay healthy for the entire season. Adams now has the most pressure on his shoulders of any defensive player. 

That’s a lot to ask for a seldom-used player entering his third season. But Pettine knows what he wants from his defense and he understands what it takes to make his unit go: versatility. 

Show us what you got Adams. 

 

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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn

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2 points
 

Comments (26)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Coldworld's picture

July 27, 2019 at 06:43 am

That is, in microcosm, how football works in the cap era. No team can survive without a pipeline of young talent coming through without hitting the cap wall.

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TheVOR's picture

July 27, 2019 at 09:02 am

Ya, exactly, time to see who can play and who can't. They also Drafted Keke and he needs reps and to develop. We're going to see more of this moving forward. Gutz better be hitting on his drafts. The current state of the franchise has everything to do with how poorly Ted Thompson has drafted. Its hard to make moves like, I have a healthy player in a contract year, and I'm going to trade him off for value because I have decent depth, when in fact your depth is crap!

Gosh Thompson really was a crappy drafter later in his tenure. Like I said, Gutz better be hitting home runs, because this team has suffered from some really bad drafts that set all this up. We're still rebuilding this mess.

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Fastenerpuller's picture

July 27, 2019 at 12:51 pm

Takes a few years to really know but Gute’s first draft seems to be a winner and I have high hopes for this class too. Not to mention the FA shopping spree.

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flackcatcher's picture

July 27, 2019 at 04:28 pm

I don't hold Thompson totally responsible for the last two years he was GM. While his front office was still intact, it became clear that neither he, nor his team was making the final call on player personal. That's all on Murphy and to a lesser extent Ball. My guess is that Murphy used Ted's illness to make a power grab, and that was the fight behind the curtain with Mike McCarthy over Murphy. It is not an accident that after Gute took over, and the BOD forced Murphy in front office matters to step aside, the sharpness and focus in the front office massively improved.

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PackfanNY's picture

July 27, 2019 at 07:03 am

The Packers currently have plenty of talent and depth across the d-line. Not only Adams but Lancaster and Fadol Brown who played well and Keke who was just drafted need to step up. Opportunity is knocking. Clark should be Clark and Lowry has always been consistent.

The real concern I have is in the “currently” part. Why not wait until we get through Training Camp to make the move? One or two injuries and we go from depth to desperate. Of course this is created by the cap era and I trust Gute made the right move.

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Hawg Hanner's picture

July 27, 2019 at 09:31 am

In fairness to the player you let him go early so he can get his best opportunity. With the versatility of the Smiths you have enough guys to make the move now

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

July 27, 2019 at 10:49 am

If Daniels got hurt in TC badly enough to go on IR, GB couldn't release him. Bye-bye cap savings.

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jannes bjornson's picture

July 28, 2019 at 12:55 pm

Which one of the three will have a pro bowl year?

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4thand1's picture

July 27, 2019 at 07:29 am

If M Adams can eat up blocks he will serve a purpose.

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Razer's picture

July 27, 2019 at 07:39 am

Thought the article was about Montravius Adams. Turns out it is about Mike Daniels. Well, good luck to them both.

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Coldworld's picture

July 27, 2019 at 07:45 am

It’s about moving on, surely? Adams will be part of that, but so will a lot of players with as diverse a pedigree as Smith and Brown by the looks of it.

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jannes bjornson's picture

July 28, 2019 at 12:58 pm

You want to get him on the field when you draft a guy with a three pick.
His rookie year was a wash, but he started to show when given reps last season. He looks to be in better shape and it should help him rushing the QB.

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SmallmouthBass's picture

July 27, 2019 at 08:30 am

At Auburn, he was very good against the run; on the interior or edge. Could shed blocks with some ease and blow up the play on occasions. I might recall him playing some NT... He knows how to collapse the pocket from the interior on passing downs. The potential is certainly there! Fresh year, new opportunity! Here's to hoping he makes some plays

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Freezn's picture

July 27, 2019 at 10:04 am

I believe our defense will be hard to stop as no one knows where Mike will be sending the pressure from as we have players who can play multiple positions

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KnockTheSnotOutOfYou's picture

July 27, 2019 at 10:11 am

I have seen M. Adam's talent from the get go and been a fan. We see flashes here and there. Now it is time for him to show he is ready for the big show.

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Since'61's picture

July 27, 2019 at 10:26 am

With the release of Daniels there are only 6 players left on the Packers roster from the 2014 Seattle debacle and 2 of those players are Rodgers and Crosby. Adams, Bak, Bulaga and Linsley are the other 4 remaining players. None from the defensive collapse in Seattle.

My point is that the Packers have virtually turned over the entire roster and have a young pipeline in place for the 2019 season. Pettine needs the players who are expected to become his core defenders to at least begin to make their presence felt this season. Clark, Alexander, Amos, King, Jackson, maybe Adams, Burks, the Smiths, Lowry and Lancaster all need to fill their roles effectively.

The offense has its core including Rodgers, Adams, Bak, Linsley, Bulaga, plus Allison, Jones and J. Williams hopefully continuing to emerge.

The old core is gone, it’s time for players like Adams and the others to make their marks and their legacies for better or for worse. As for Gute his true test will come when the Packers return to the playoffs in an annual basis and he is drafting in the high 20s and hopefully low 30s as TT did for 8 straight seasons. Thanks, Since ‘61

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flackcatcher's picture

July 27, 2019 at 04:49 pm

As fans, we tend to look at the moment, not how that moment was built. It is still too early for most of us to understand just how good Ted Thompson and his front office really was. The good news is despite his illness, and internal problems, Ted (and Gute) built a reality good core that with a little luck can lead the Packers back to the playoffs and beyond. As you say '61, it's Gutes show now. He will be fine....

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Cheezdik's picture

August 01, 2019 at 04:01 pm

Wrong. Tramon Williams was on that team as well and was responsible for giving up the winning td to Doug Baldwin. Nothing has changed. He is givi g up huge gains to third rate receivers and missing tackles but since he is a nice guy and Packers keep players not for their playing ability but their personalities, he gets to stay on the team. Packers are worst on the league for keeping players who have done nothing and promising year after year that "this is the year". More bs.

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Doug Niemczynski's picture

July 27, 2019 at 12:42 pm

In fairness to Daniels I believe he always gave 110% and never slacked on any plays. Thanks M Daniels for the memories

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KnockTheSnotOutOfYou's picture

July 27, 2019 at 12:59 pm

Doug,
Agree!

Always hard to see a favorite go!

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porupack's picture

July 27, 2019 at 01:10 pm

Well funny irony; when it comes to WRs and CBs, and many other young players, packerland fretted all offseason over "unproven" players and that Gute had to draft high, or bring in FA vets. Now, we get rid of a proven vet, and now everyone chimes in, practically rhyming like poets;
he isn't versatile, he hit thirty, his stats are down now, so flip him the birdie. He's the wrong body type, that's a fact, The greedy owners are shady, till a player is due their payday.

Prove why he isn't versatile before it becomes accepted as fact?

The WR rookie trio showed more last year proof that they can move forward from the Nelson/Cobb era, than MAdams, showed he can move on from Daniels era; so why do we have hope MAdams can step up? Because the coaches say so? Ok.

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KnockTheSnotOutOfYou's picture

July 27, 2019 at 04:06 pm

P,
Because it is the start of training camp and hope and optimism is eternal. What good does it do to mourn Daniel's? He is gone! We have his memories. Matthew's is gone too so what? I will miss Matthew's significantly more than Daniels.

It is the NFL after all! Let's move on and develop young talent like Adam's, Fadol, Lancaster, Lowry, Clark, Gary, and throw in the Smith's. We are fortunate we have what appears to be decent young talent on the DL. I am more curious about who will develop and flourish versus mourning the loss of Daniels.

Also, I know this move with Daniel's is Gutes way of looking forward and planning for moves later this year and for next year. Nice to know Gute has a plan on how to improve the team. Refreshing after last 4 or 5 years!

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porupack's picture

July 27, 2019 at 04:46 pm

Ok. Sniffle. I'm over it for now. Sniff. Might cry again later though if MAdams doesn't replace the impact.

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flackcatcher's picture

July 27, 2019 at 05:06 pm

Right now, Adams is a camp body. Nothing more, nothing less. Giving how thin the cap is for Gute, he could be a prime candidate for the first cut. Two issues. One. Is his foot injury completely healthy, can he hold up under a full season of contact and movement on the D line. Two. Does he have a good grasp of Petinne's system to play, especially when the D line is where the Packers want to generate pressure in their contain-collapse scheme. Finally, a GM like IAM does not sign high level free agents if your defensive line already has what you need. Like every other position on this team, it's wide open. Lets see how training camp plays out.......

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jannes bjornson's picture

July 28, 2019 at 01:10 pm

Well, he's in the starting front in the 3-4. Doesn't indicated Camp Body.

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IceBowl's picture

July 28, 2019 at 02:00 pm

flackcatcher .

Most in camp are "camp bodies" I think. Especially this year. I'm not sure I could name 25 guarantees after the Daniels release and all the new additions. The Pack will end up releasing more players (and more money) that will be surprises. And actually I expect another 3 -5 new signings by the way Guty has been working.

The players rotisserie has already started and we'll just have to wait and see where it ends.

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