Kayla from Hartford, WI

Is it more important to make a statement or just find a rhythm in Week 1 against the Lions?

Sign me up for just winning the game. Oh, hi. Yeah, a second straight day from me. While I was gone, Wes had some other duties pushed to the backburner, so now he's catching up.

Brian from Oregon, WI

What storylines have occupied the Lions' offseason? What should we be watching for from them come Sunday?

They lost their two coordinators to head coaching jobs, so the big mystery is how much changes with John Morton running the offense instead of Ben Johnson, and with Kelvin Sheppard running the defense instead of Aaron Glenn. Personnel-wise, the two biggest alterations from last year are center Frank Ragnow retired, and pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson is back from injury. The Packers blocking Hutchinson and the Lions blocking Parsons are the two biggest storylines heading into this one for me.

Peter from Durham, UK

Hi Mike/Wes, do you feel playing at home against two strong teams with the injuries that the Packers have had through training camp is better than having to play them away from home? Hopefully we get some of the injured players back for Sunday. Keep up the great work. The season is nearly here. GOPACKGO

I'll always take home games against top teams, and when you look at the Packers' games against non-division playoff clubs from a year ago, they get Washington, Philly and Baltimore at home (plus Cincinnati, who barely missed the postseason despite being hot late), but just Pittsburgh and Denver on the road. That'll hopefully help navigate a daunting slate. As for the team's health, it's trending the right direction. As of Monday, the only player injured during training camp who hadn't returned to the practice field was cornerback Nate Hobbs.

Paul from Gorham, ME

Good morning! I think it has been a while since we've had a Mount Rushmore question. Care to try one today? What four season openers would you place on your Mt. Rushmore of season openers?

Focusing strictly on openers I've covered for packers.com, I'll go with rookie Crosby's game-winning kick vs. Eagles in '07, Rodgers' first start in '08 vs. Vikings, the wild kickoff opener in '11 vs. Saints that came down to a goal-line stop, and the comeback vs. Bears in '18. Honorable mention goes to Favre's last-second TD pass with a busted thumb in Rhodes' first game in '99 (I covered it in my newspaper days), Rodgers' last-minute TD pass vs. Bears in '09 to get the "comeback" monkey off his back, and LaFleur's first game in '19 at Soldier Field. Going back to my youth, I'd also have to include the Chester Marcol game vs. Bears in '80, and the OT shootout at the Houston Astrodome in '83.

Paula from Apple Valley, MN

Any idea why Matthew Golden switched to 0 and why it happened when it did? Did it have anything to do with the Packers allowing Micah Parsons to wear 1? Personally, I'm not fond of seeing 0 on a jersey, but assume I will adjust. Thanks for keeping us informed through these past days!

We're all curious, but Golden wasn't available when the media was in the locker room Monday. When he talks to reporters later this week, it'll be the first thing he's asked.

Gary from Chippewa Falls, WI

BG stated when he started that he will be in on all conversations. Considering where the Packers draft in the first round, it will always be difficult to trade up unless they give up more draft choices. The Parsons trade can be tied to diligent management of the cap and the flexibility it brings.

You can't be in on all conversations unless you're ready to be in on all conversations.

Mutt from Blaine, MN

Good morning II. Curious how many people might've known about the trade in the hours leading up to it. Obviously Gute, ML, Russ, and Policy. But how about administrative or personnel handling paperwork or PR people who might prepare? In total, how many do you think were in the know?

No idea, but I'm sure the circle was as tight as possible, and nobody was leaking anything. That's how business is done here.

Dave from Lake Zurich, IL

How did the Packers obtain the 19th pick, the one they traded to Atlanta for Favre, in the 1992 draft? I couldn't find the answer. The pick might have been originally held by the Eagles. Btw, the Packers used pick No. 5 in the first round to select Terrell Buckley.

It was the 17th pick, and it was acquired by Wolf's predecessor, Tom Braatz, the prior year in a draft-day trade. The Eagles gave up their '92 first-round pick to move up in '91 from No. 19 to No. 8 to select OT Antone Davis. The Packers took CB Vinnie Clark at 19. Wolf then sent pick 17 the following year to the Falcons for Favre and used pick 5 on Buckley.

Ed from South Beloit, IL

Not a question but rather a comment. In regards to Gary from Hope Mills, NC, can we please put the "Packers didn't go all in for Aaron Rodgers" nonsense to bed? The Packers were in the conference championship game and divisional round games numerous times during Rodgers' time as the Packers quarterback. The teams got to the big games and should have played in the Super Bowl several times if not for a player missing an assignment or that year's team not playing well during that game.

I felt the Packers were the best team in the NFC in '14, '20 and '21, butcha gotta do it when it counts. They weren't the best team in '10 when they won it all, and that's this crazy game.

Joe from Castle Rock, CO

Thanks for the great work guys! I am hoping we are going to be seeing a lot more Ty'Ron Hopper on defense this year. He really seems to have grown a lot as you and coach LaFleur have mentioned. Do you think he has earned a starter role?

I don't anticipate him starting just yet. I think Hafley wants to see what this defense can do with Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper playing side by side as the main LB duo, and now Parsons is in the mix, too, depending on where Hafley wants him to line up. On the field together, all that speed changes the look of a defense, as does the attention Parsons will attract, obviously. I could see Hopper pushing Isaiah McDuffie for snaps in the three-'backer looks, and he has to be ready to step in the second someone goes down. His career is headed in the right direction.

Sam from Harlan, IA

I think part of the Micah Parsons trade that many aren't talking about is how this will free up Rashan Gary on passing downs. What do you think about two Packers with double-digit sacks? When is the last time that happened?

2019, the year the Smith Bros. arrived.

Benjamin from Bear, DE

I'm not sure if you'll agree, but Green Bay's offense just improved after the Parsons trade. The secondary's play will improve because of a greatly improved pass rush. The defense will generate more three-and-outs and INTs, therefore affording the O more drives per game. I'm not sure of my number, but I see the points per game increasing by three or four points. Your thoughts?

I'm not putting a number on it, and I don't necessarily look at it as drives per game. It's more about the one or two possessions per game with better or extremely advantageous field position because of a big play made by the defense. Adding a player like Parsons just juiced the odds of such plays occurring more frequently.

Dave from Appleton, WI

How much sleep did Jeff Hafley get over the weekend knowing he'd have to tear up and re-write his defensive script?

Any sleep he lost I'm sure he wasn't regretting.

Matt from McFarland, WI

Initially I thought the Week 5 bye was a little too early to be optimal. With our recent acquisition of Parsons, I now think Week 5 might be ideal. Parsons can be worked into the defense over the first four games and then Hafley gets a week to make adjustments going into the meat of the schedule. What do you think?

I always put the team's health situation as the top priority/consideration regarding the bye, but your angle could have merit.

Doug from Neenah, WI

Good morning, Mike. During your live blog for the Seattle game, you answered my question about Isaiah Neyor with respectful terms like "raw" and "intriguing." Were you actually surprised he made the practice squad ahead of more polished receivers? It seems like an extremely long-term outlook. Thanks.

Those are the guys that interest me most on the practice squad, and the kind that the PS honestly was designed for prior to the expansion and roster flexibility. Now there's a mixture, and I'm curious what a (hopefully) full year on an NFL practice field does for Neyor.

Steven from Frisco, TX

How much do the Packers still owe Kenny Clark after the trade and how is it paid out?

They don't owe him anything. There are cap charges this year and next for money Clark already has been paid that hasn't counted against the cap yet. Then Clark is off the books after '26.

Jeffrey from Eveleth, MN

Parting with Kenny Clark made a lot of sense even though it is tough to see him go. Wasn't his cap hit ballooning next year? I think this would have been his last year in Green Bay. Looked like a cap casualty on the horizon.

Entirely possible if not likely, but I think Gutey still envisioned and preferred him being a very big part of the '25 team.

Jim from Tucson, AZ

Did Nazir Stackhouse make one of the best decisions ever by an undrafted free agent in picking the Packers?

Funny how that turned out.

Gerald from Santa Fe, NM

Sorry to see KC leave, happy to see No. 1 arrive. Aren't all the teeth-gnashers (about run stopping) forgetting that the defensive line and linebackers work together to stop the run? Don't the Packers have a really fast, talented, young group of 'backers to coordinate with the line to limit the opposition's run attack?

It is indeed a team game.

Dave from Kaukauna, WI

The youngest team may have more experience than you realize. Five draft picks, one UDFA (Stackhouse), and two from last year's practice squad (Kamal Hadden, Donovan Jennings) who made the team; only eight players with no (six) or little (two) experience; 45 out of 53 on the roster, one on PUP, two on IR, and six on the practice squad are in their second year (or more). When only 48 are active for a game, how does 45 players with help from injured players returning and from practice-squad activations look for experience? That's depth.

Gutey has emphasized multiple times he considers this a young team in age only, not in experience.

Jim from Hudsonville, MI

Fascinating article on the continual collaboration between ML and JL while game-planning. I'm curious if anything similar goes on with the defensive side of the ball, and if so, which player(s) would be most likely to contribute?

Nothing on defense to the extent a play-caller communicates with his QB. That's a very singular relationship within the context of a football team. Thanks for checking out the piece and glad you liked it. It was a fun one to conduct interviews for and write.

Mike from Stevens Point, WI

As someone who has the entire collection of Packers yearbooks, I'd like to commend you gentlemen on another excellent edition. I especially enjoyed the "No Days Off" story about Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs. Great reading!

I'm hoping to post that one on the site later this week as well.

Chili from Muskego, WI

This offseason has definitely been a treat for fans. We got the first-round WR we've been clamoring for. We got the big, splashy trade acquisition. It's game week now, though, so (first one of the season) just beat the Lions! My palate tires of baloney.

T-minus five days and counting. Happy Tuesday.

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