GREEN BAY — Aaron Rodgers didn’t want Davante Adams to leave Green Bay. The Packers didn’t want the wide receiver to exit either. But at the end of the day both relented to Adams’ desire to play in Las Vegas and traded the two-time All-Pro to the Raiders for a couple of draft picks earlier this offseason.

“I’ve been close friends with Davante over the years, so I was in conversations with him,” Rodgers said. “We had many heart to hearts, and ultimately he felt like he wanted to be in Las Vegas and asked me to help them get there. So, in the end, it was the only option in his mind and that’s what he wanted.”

There was a lot pulling Adams out west, including his love for the Raiders growing up in the Bay Area, the chance to raise his family closer to home, the uncertainty around Rodgers’ long-term future and the ability to play with his college quarterback in Derek Carr. Still, the Packers were willing to give Adams the type of contract he ended up getting and he would get to keep playing with a quarterback coming off back-to-back MVP seasons.

“It’s tough question,” Rodgers said Tuesday when asked if he was taken aback at Adams’ insistence of wanting out of Green Bay. “Yes, and no. I think we had some really honest conversations about my future here and how long I wanted to play, along with his own thoughts about his future and where he wanted to play and live and raise his family. The (Packers) obviously stepped up and made a competitive or even more compelling (contract) offer. Ultimately, Davante thought it was best for him and his family to be in Vegas. So that was tough for sure.”

“But again, Tae made a decision he thought was in the best interest of him and his family and I can’t fault him for that.”

No Allen Lazard

Every member of the Packers that is currently under contract was at Tuesday’s practice, but there was one potentially very important player not in attendance — Allen Lazard. The wide receiver has yet to sign his restricted free agent tender, meaning he is not obligated to take part in the mandatory minicamp.

Lazard’s agent released a statement to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman about his client’s absence.

Statement from Allen Lazard’s agent, Peter Schaffer, on Lazard’s mandatory minicamp absence: “Allen’s total focus is on having the best possible season he can have as a player & helping the Packers win the Lombardi Trophy. Everything he is doing is to further those objectives.”

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 7, 2022

With Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling no longer in Green Bay, Lazard is one of just two experienced returning veterans in the wide receiver room. It sets him up for a potentially big year heading into free agency next offseason.

“He’s been our dirty work guy for most of his career here. Now he’s got an opportunity to be a number one receiver,” Rodgers said. “I’m not worried about him at all stepping in that role. I’ve talked to him a lot. I know how he takes care of his body and I know he’ll be ready when he’s here.”

David Bakhtiari still rehabbing

When Green Bay’s first-team offensive line took the field for practice Tuesday, Yosh Nijman was the man at left tackle. Though he did a more than admirable job last year filling in due to injury, the Packers would love for that spot to be manned by David Bakhtiari this fall.

The All-Pro missed all but 27 plays last season due to a torn ACL suffered in Dec. 2020 and its after effects. Originally hoping to return midway through the season, Bakhtiari was forced to undergo a second procedure to clean up the knee. The expectation was he would be available late in the year and into the playoffs, but after playing in the season finale against Detroit, excess fluid kept building in the knee and he was barely able to bend it.

It’s now been 17 months since the initial injury and eight months since the second procedure. Bakhtiari told Cheesehead TV in January that the knee was structurally sound and the only thing to do when it came to the fluid was rest. That’s played out this offseason as he’s largely been a spectator, though he did work with the rehab group Tuesday.

“He’s been working really hard,” said Rodgers, who sees Bakhtiari a lot during the offseason in California. “Hopefully training camp he’s full go, good to go. But I know he’s been working hard and itching to get back out there.”