GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and David Bakhtiari train during the offseason in Southern California, where there are beaches, golf courses and sunshine galore. Davante Adams is more a Nebraska kind of guy. <\/p>\n
Lincoln, Nebraska, might not have the scenery and attractions that his Green Bay Packers teammates find out West, but to Adams, a Northern California native, spending days at a time in Middle America is worth it because it's home to -- in his opinion -- one of the best receivers coaches in the country. <\/p>\n
Adams spent part of his summer vacation -- before he took an actual vacation to the Bahamas -- in Lincoln working with his longtime coach, Keith Williams, who is now on the University of Nebraska staff. <\/p>\n
\"He is definitely dedicated,\" said Williams, who was Adams' first collegiate receivers coach, at Fresno State. \"He's a smart player, and he understands what makes him successful.\" <\/p>\n
It paid off last year when Adams' breakout season included career highs in catches (75), yards (997) and touchdowns (12), and he wasn't about to stop there. <\/p>\n
And Adams doesn't mind that he has to go Nebraska to do it. \"I'm sure a lot of people would,\" he said. \"But then they'll say people don't take their craft serious. It makes you focus on what you're doing. <\/p>\n
\"You've got to do what you've got to do to take that next step, and if I feel like that's where a really good wideout coach is and I'm going to be around a lot of guys that are focused, that's where I need to be.\" <\/p>\n
Adams' Instagram account offered a glimpse of the workouts Williams put him through. <\/p>\n
It's the kind of work they've been doing since Williams recruited Adams out of Palo Alto, California. Adams has followed Williams around the country, whether it was to New Orleans, when he coached at Tulane, or to Lincoln the past two years, to get in extra work on his craft in the offseason. <\/p>\n
This is an important season for Adams to prove that last year -- and not his injury-filled, disappointing 2015 -- was the new normal. He's entering the final year of his contract, and another season like 2016 could make him one of the top receivers eligible for free agency next offseason -- if the Packers don't extend his contract before he gets there. <\/p>\n
Even though Adams missed the 1,000-yard mark by nine feet, he became one of the focal points for quarterback Aaron Rodgers last season. So far in training camp, that hasn't changed. Rodgers and Adams have connected on several big plays, including one of the longest completions of camp, a 60-yard touchdown on the first day. <\/p>\n
In addition to his workouts with Williams, Adams went to work on his body this offseason. He said he weighed in at 206 pounds at the start of training camp. That's about six pounds lighter than he played at last season and 14 pounds less than what he was 16 months ago at the start of the 2016 offseason program. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\"More than anything, I got leaner, and it's showed in more definition of my body,\" Adams said. \"I feel amazing running routes.\" <\/p>\n
Adams has made multiple trips to Nebraska, but he wanted one last session with Williams right after the Packers minicamp ended in mid-June. <\/p>\n
Among those who also worked out with Adams and Williams was Packers rookie receiver Malachi Dupre, the seventh-round pick from LSU. Williams first met Dupre when he was trying to recruit him to Tulane. Williams also has worked with Baltimore Ravens receiver Mike Wallace and Kansas City Chiefs receiver De'Anthony Thomas, among others. He posted on Twitter about one workout with Adams, Dupre and Washington Redskins receiver Ryan Grant. <\/p>\n
\"Coach [Mike] Riley and everyone involved have opened their arms to all the guys,\" Williams said. \"It's a real comfortable environment, and it's relaxing.\" <\/p>\n
Almost like Southern California. <\/p>\n
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Nebraska before the Bahamas: Davante Adams goes distance to work out - ESPN (blog)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GREEN BAY, Wis. Continue reading