Wide receiver Davante Adams wouldn’t discuss the ankle injury that has been his unwelcome companion for much of his disappointing second season with the Green Bay Packers. Credit: Mark Hoffman

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Green Bay — Wide receiver Davante Adams wouldn't discuss the ankle injury that has been his unwelcome companion for much of his disappointing second season with the Green Bay Packers.

His position coach, Alex Van Pelt, and teammate, Randall Cobb, didn't hesitate.

"In fairness to him, he's had some ankle issues that have hurt him," Van Pelt said Monday. "Did you see him running today? He's struggling. He's toughing it out but..."

Adams suffered a low ankle sprain after a second-quarter reception Sept. 20 in Seattle.

He reinjured the ankle the next week against Kansas City and departed after three snaps. He sat out three games, played in three, aggravated the same left ankle in Minnesota and went the distance on Thanksgiving against Chicago.

"I don't know the severity of it or how he feels about it," Cobb said Tuesday. "I don't think he's looked like the same Davante. He hasn't been playing as fast as he normally does. I think it still bothers him.

"My shoulder has been bothering me, too, but y'all don't care about that. Nobody cares about that. They care about wins and losses, and we're not winning right now."

Part of the losing equation has been Adams, the second-round draft choice who became an instant starter Aug. 23 when Jordy Nelson blew out his knee.

Of the 64 passes that Aaron Rodgers has targeted Adams, he has caught merely 32 while dropping eight.

Adams' average-per-catch of 10.1 yards is almost doubled by the 19.7 of James Jones, the other outside receiver.

His only gain for more than 25 yards was a 40-yard bomb as the half expired in Carolina that the Panthers barely contested.

Rodgers has tossed 24 touchdown passes but none to Adams, who had both hands on a fourth-down toss in the end zone against the Bears that would have turned the bitterest of defeats into the sweetest of escapes. It was his fourth drop of a most brutal night.

On Sunday, Adams acknowledged his subpar showing, made no excuses and looked ahead to Thursday night and a rematch with Detroit cornerback Nevin Lawson, who got up in Adams' face and scored a unanimous decision in the Lions' 18-16 victory 2½ weeks ago.

"He's got to wipe the slate clean," said Van Pelt. "We talked about hitting the reset button and coming out fresh. Everybody's got a clean slate. We're going to catch every ball."

Adams had a C-plus kind of a year as a rookie after zipping by Jarrett Boykin into the No. 3 job a month into the season. His off-season couldn't have been more impressive, and there were enough one-handed, leaping catches to think the coaches had a passable replacement for Nelson.

He looked destined to follow in the footsteps of Greg Jennings, Nelson and Cobb as Ted Thompson's wide-receiving gems unearthed from the second round.

"Last year I thought he was coming on," an executive in personnel for an AFC team said Tuesday. "One thing that throws you off about him is there was such an elite quarterback.

"But you liked the size and, because they had the receivers, he wouldn't have to be the guy and could kind of come along. Two years, three years from now he could have that real breakout.

"Things change when guys get hurt. All of a sudden you get thrust into it and you have to rise up to the expectations."

It was a phenomenal year for wide receivers in the 2014 draft, and even though Adams' 40-yard dash time made him the third-slowest of the top 15 the Packers made him the ninth to be selected.

After a year and a half, Adams ranks 12th among all the entire class of 2014 wide receivers with 70 receptions, 13th in yards (768) and tied for 14th in touchdowns (three).

"He's a strong, hard runner in the vein of Dez Bryant," an NFC personnel man said Tuesday. "That has ways to affect DBs as equally as speed. He's got good quickness. It's just the long speed.

"This is his second year. I think he has the potential to grow into being a good player. Those guys (Jennings, Nelson, Cobb) are a different level, but Jordy wasn't Jordy in his first couple years. It does take time."

The AFC scout said he would take 11 of the 2014 wideouts over Adams, and the NFC scout tapped nine as being better.

They agreed that Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Brandin Cooks, Kelvin Benjamin, Jarvis Landry, John Brown, Martavis Bryant and Allen Hurns were better than Adams.

They were split on Adams against Jordan Matthews and Allen Robinson.

The ongoing ankle issue complicates the evaluation for scouts.

"The ankle would make it a little bit harder to use your quickness and lower body to escape press and get separation," the AFC personnel man said. "Sometimes with the bigger receivers people are able to get their hands on them. You have to work your technique pretty good."

Obviously, the woes on offense run deeper than Adams.

"They're just not in rhythm," an NFC North personnel man said. "Jones can't run. Adams is a mess. Cobb is a weapon but he's kind of a slot guy. The pass game is not in sync."

Jennings had the worst drop rate (8.1%) of his Packers' career in his second season. In his Year 2, Nelson sprained a knee and was relegated to No. 4. Jones' second year was a downer due to a recurring knee injury, erratic hands and negligible run after the catch.

"He's hit the bump in the road," said Van Pelt. "It's a crossroads for him. He's got to toughen up, get mentally tougher and make the plays that are there for him to make.

"I wasn't there but I hear talk of 'J.J.' (Jones) in his second year having the drops. Guys have that. It's part of the growth process.

"He's got to fight through it and come out the other side."

When Adams is playing fast, Van Pelt maintains his speed is fine. At 215, Adams is four pounds heavier than a year ago but says there's no reason for him to lose weight now or in 2016.

Van Pelt answered decisively in the affirmative that Adams' work habits on the practice field and classroom were up to professional standards.

"Especially a foot injury, that's tough for a receiver because of all the running they do," play-caller Tom Clements said. "We're happy with Davante, and confident he'll turn it around and be as big a contributor as he has previously."



How Class of 2014 WRs Stacks Up

In order, here are the career statistics for the first 12 wide receivers selected in the 2014 draft plus other productive players.

Rd/Pick

Name, Team G-GS No. Yds. Avg. TD 1-4 Sammy Watkins, Buf 24-24 96 1,508 15.7 11 1-7 Mike Evans, TB 25-24 117 1,840 15.7 14 1-12 Odell Beckham, NYG 23-22 163 2,310 14.2 21 1-20 Brandin Cooks, NO 21-16 108 1,286 11.9 9 1-28 Kelvin Benjamin, Car 16-15 73 1,008 13.8 9 2-39 Marqise Lee, Jax 18-8 42 473 11.3 1 2-42 Jordan Matthews, Phi 27-17 125 1,497 12.0 11 2-45 Paul Richardson, Sea 16-6 30 311 10.4 1 2-53 Davante Adams, GB 24-19 70 768 11.0 3 2-56 Cody Latimer, Den 18-1 8 82 10.2 1 2-61 Allen Robinson, Jax 21-19 103 1,475 14.3 10 2-63 Jarvis Landry, Mia 27-21 160 1,574 9.8 9 3-90 Donte Moncrief, Ind 27-9 84 1,028 12.2 8 3-91 John Brown, Ari 26-12 93 1,400 15.1 9 4-118 Martavis Bryant, Pit 16-5 53 1,058 20.0 13 FA Willie Snead, NO 11-5 45 676 15.0 3 FA Allen Hurns, Jax 27-19 99 1,435 14.3 13 FA Corey Brown, Car 22-11 38 529 13.9 5 FA Albert Wilson, KC 21-9 36 522 14.5 1