Cheese Curds, 5/11: Davante Adams’ future uncertain, Isaiah McDuffie brings intensity

The Green Bay Packers potentially have two issues in play with the Aaron Rodgers saga. One is Rodgers himself and the quarterback play of the immediate future. The other is in the wide receiver corps, where Davante Adams has staked a strong claim to the title of best wideout in the NFL.

But Adams and Rodgers have developed a remarkable connection on and off the field. So it should come as no surprise that Adams, who would seem to be in line for a big contract extension with his contract ending after the 2021 season, will probably wait and see what will happen with Rodgers before making a decision about his own future.

Adams alluded to that in an interview on Monday, noting that while Rodgers’ departure would not preclude him from signing an extension, it would certainly make him think harder about it.

On the other end of the roster spectrum, a late draft pick who will be battling for a roster spot this summer gets the profile treatment this week. Boston College linebacker Isaiah McDuffie earned himself a sixth-round selection by the Packers two Saturdays ago, and his route to the roster will almost certainly be through special teams. But don’t sleep on his ability and his drive, as that could earn him a bigger role than just kick coverage.

Isaiah McDuffie brings ‘workhorse’ mentality as rookie linebacker | Packers.com
The sixth-round draft pick should have the mentality to be a good special teams contributor, but don't sleep on him having a chance to contribute on defense given his drive and intensity.

Stats for Packers Sixth-Round Pick Isaiah McDuffie of Boston College - Sports Illustrated
For all of his impressive tackle numbers, McDuffie did not get his hands on many footballs, with just one pick and four pass breakups. As a smaller linebacker, pass coverage would probably be his best route to significant playing time on defense, so he will need to show more ability there in training camp and practice than he there is in his college stat sheet.

Davante Adams says own future could be tied to Rodgers' | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
On Colin Cowherd's radio show on Monday, Adams acknowledged his own contract situation, saying that "I'd definitely have to do some extra thinking if my guy wasn't there." He didn't rule out a return if Rodgers were to move on, but it's clear that it will affect his thought process to some extent.

Report: Denver Broncos think they can get QB Aaron Rodgers | Packers Wire
The first week of June could get very interesting.

2021 NFL Draft sleepers: Day 2 standouts, Day 3 hidden gems | NFL.com
This model from NFL Next Gen Stats identified Packers' first-round pick Eric Stokes as one of the best sleepers in the draft class. Hopefully he lives up to this projection, which gave him the highest probability of any cornerback in the draft of making a Pro Bowl within his first three years.

A TikTok user wakes up with Irish accent after a tonsillectomy | News.com.AU
Can I have surgery to give me a Scottish accent? That would be fantastic.