Inbox: He made the most of his moment back there

Shirley from Mauston, WI

Is Jordan Love ready to be the starter quarterback? Do you have others that you are trying out? Looking forward to having the season start!

The pin is in and it's Love's tee time, Shirley. The only thing left to do is grip it and rip it. Welcome to Friday.

Jason from Austin, TX

There will be several things that'll be different in this Aaron Rodgers-less Packers team, but one that I hope doesn't stick out too much is the loss of Rodgers' total command during the two-minute drill. Heck, I had full confidence in him if there were 30 seconds or more on the clock still (see: 2021 SF game). Seeing other teams look lost and flustered always made me grateful for what we had. How has Love looked so far in the two-minute drills during OTA? Does LaFleur practice a one-minute drill too?

To steal a phrase from Stuart Scott, Love is cooler than the other side of the pillow (Notice how I managed to work another "Scott" reference into Inbox?). Love has shown a firm command of Matt LaFleur's playbook. It just comes down to making smart decisions with the football. He moved the No. 1 offense downfield well to start Tuesday's two-minute before throwing that ill-advised pass to Christian Watson in the end zone. The two-minute drill is rarely two minutes. In this case, I think the coaches put 1 minute, 45 seconds on the clock. It can sometimes be as little as one minute and change, though.

Steve from Ankeny, IA

I truly believe this team will enter the season feeling they have something to prove. I kind of like that!

I think this team comes out swinging. It's GB vs. the world.

Jeffrey from Eveleth, MN

Come on man. Who was the master of rolling right and throwing across his body in the middle of the field? I'll answer. Brett Favre. I would cringe every time he did it.

I've mentioned before Love has a little gunslinger to him. He's going to take some chances. The key is knowing when to roll the dice.

Mike from Baraboo, WI

What will be the biggest learning curve for Jordan Love? How do you think he will handle adversity?

I'm not worried about Love's ability to handle adversity. He is a stone-cold QB who's not easily rattled. His learning curve will be leading an NFL team for six months, both on the field and in the locker room. He is in a forward-facing role now that goes beyond just throwing a football. Given Love's even-keeled demeanor, I think he's going to be just fine in that regard.

David from Goldsboro, NC

I watched a certain HOF QB break down film of Love games against KC (preseason) and Philly from last year. So much is timing and taking what the D is giving you. The slightest shift or hesitation by the D dictates where the ball should go, a lot of info and no time. Mostly JL10 made the right call so that's nice. Have you ever sat in while they were breaking down the film of a game and realize you know much less about football than you thought you did?

That's why I have so much respect for NFL QBs because my brain doesn't process information that quickly. I would love to sit in a film-review session with coaches but never have. I think a big part of covering the NFL is understanding you're reading only sections of the book and not every chapter.

Scott from Norwalk, CT

Morning Wes. As a proud member of the Scott club, I want to make my compatriots aware of my favorite T-shirt: "Scott (noun) 1. Like a normal person, just much cooler." I've no doubt Google would find a version for Jeff, too. Prior to the draft, safety was seen as a weakness for the team. With our FA signings and the draft, how do you rate the room now after OTAs? Less of a concern, no longer a weakness, a (relative) strength, or we'll have to wait until training camp to see?

It's still way too early to tell, but I like the variety of playstyles and experience. Jonathan Owens is a ready and willing tackler, Rudy Ford has speed and ball-hawking ability, and Tarvarius Moore is a great athlete. I agree with Spoff that it might take all of training camp to sort out and the deciding factor could be as simple as which safety has the best chemistry with Darnell Savage on the back end. As I recently talked about on "Unscripted," the Packers didn't have many options at safety after they moved on from Charles Woodson in 2012. I wondered during the final week of training camp whether it was even worth keeping four. I don't expect that to be a problem this time around. On Tuesday, it was Moore's turn and I felt like he made the most of his moment back there.

Chris from Chaska, MN

How has Royce Newman looked this offseason? Started games as a rookie, then a perceived step backward in his second year. As a former college athlete and coach, I have seen "second years" go one of two ways. 1) Athletes get better due to commitment and prolonged consistency in training, or 2) Athletes don't progress due to complacency or lack of commitment. Rodgers said Newman "looked different in the shower." I assume this meant he put on some weight, but heavier does not mean stronger.

Last year, the Packers ran with the tandem of Yosh Nijman and Jon Runyan, but Newman is back in the competition for a starting role at both guard and tackle again this summer. He was the left guard with the No. 1 unit when Elgton Jenkins rested on Tuesday and needs to keep maximizing those opportunities. With only five starting spots, hopefully that competition brings out the best in Newman and the other reserve O-linemen who return from last season.

Richard from Woodruff, WI

Hi Wes, how are you doing? Just curious about what you see as the battle for starting center is being settled. Thanks. Hope you have a great weekend.

Josh Myers remains the favorite. He's taken all the No. 1 reps there with Love in the three practices we've watched. Even if Myers holds down the job, however, Green Bay still needs to identify a primary reserve for that position other than Jenkins, whom I expect to remain stationed at left guard. Tom, Jon Runyan and Sean Rhyan have all snapped in OTAs.

Brianna from Northglenn, CA

What gives Green Bay confidence in the current makeup of their defensive front line? A lot of kids in a difficult transitional position from college to pro.

That's true, but I also like how the Packers are trying something new. Green Bay struggled against the run for much of last season before finishing on an upswing. So, why not work in T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt, and these incoming rookies in hopes of building a dependable D-line? In addition to Kenny Clark, the Packers also have plenty of veterans on the edge and second level to help bring the D-line prospects along.

Lori from Heredia, Costa Rica

Hey Wes, what is the difference between OTAs and minicamp?

It's mostly one in the same, Lori, other than attendance for minicamp is required by the collective bargaining agreement.

Mark from Mt Vernon, WI

With many failed attempts in goal-to-go last year and the inability to run the ball in the red zone, do you think the Pack copy the Eagles' game plan and line up a bunch of fat guys and try to push Love into the end zone?

It's a copycat league. The NFL didn't step in, so I assume we'll see plenty of rugby scrums this year. Whether the Packers choose to follow suit, that's up to Matt LaFleur and the offensive coaches. Whatever happens, Green Bay needs a strong response after a disappointing 2022 in the red zone.

Naomi from Ronan, MT

I know it's looking like two of my favorite players aren't coming back, but is it still possible Mason Crosby and/or Adrian Amos can still be in green and gold? When does that door officially close?

Naomi, I've been around long enough now to remember Ryan Grant re-signing with the Packers with a couple weeks left in the 2012 season and James Jones flying in a week before the 2015 opener. The door never closes, at least not in Green Bay. Anything can happen at any time.

H.R. from Henderson, NV

While I am glad the Packers (currently) don't have to face Dalvin Cook twice a year, the business side of football is really mean. It is hard watching star players, no matter their team, get put on the street due to finances that the team agreed to.

Folks wanna throw the "rebuild" label on the Packers, but I don't think I've seen an organization shuffle the deck after a 13-win season quite like the Vikings have. It's a gamble but obviously Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his scouts feel strongly about the direction they're headed. I feel for Cook but again it's worth recognizing the deal the Packers and Aaron Jones struck this offseason. Green Bay created some cap flexibility while Jones remains one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL. Meanwhile, Zeke Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt, and soon Cook are all free agents.

Dan from Augusta, KS

Just chiming in on why I'm interested in watching the Jets this year. Personally, I'm most interested in seeing Rodgers remain healthy enough to succeed and play the number of snaps it will take to get the Jets' first-rounder next year; yet not be successful enough to make it a low first-rounder. Just enough to motivate the Jets to keep him playing. So, I will be watching but am I asking for too much?

I don't think so. It's a lottery ticket, right? It's only natural for fans to want to tune in for the drawing.

Bill from Wilmington, DE

Wes, have any decisions been made on away game tailgate rallies?

Packers Everywhere is still finalizing those plans.

Matthew from Green Bay, WI

To follow up on Jeff from Indian Lake's question about where you film and wanting to see your cubicle, go find Tom Grossi on YouTube (@tomgrossicomedy)! He is currently raising money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital and visiting every NFL Stadium this month. And his Packers video had a Weston interview and caught a corner of his cube. Plus, he's doing good things and it's a really fun series for those that have only been to one stadium.

This is true.

Dennis from Parrish, FL

Like Crash Davis, I bet Chris Slayton does NOT have a Porsche with a Quadraphonic Blaupunkt?

You don't need a Quadraphonic Blaupunkt. What you need is a hump move.

Thomas from Cedar Rapids, IA

So, there is a 39-year-old out there that could really tie the TE room together? I am not aware of a Lebowski or a Ruggs that is an available free agent, though I did find out there is an amateur football (soccer) team named the Centro Storico Lebowski. Which way is the door?

I couldn't believe this was real. I now need a C.S. Lebowski kit.

John from Salt Lake City, UT

Hey guys, I have a question about journalistic etiquette. Following a press conference with many reporters, are you supposed to only use quotations in your stories that were a result of your (or your organization's) question? Or is anything a coach or player says fair game for use? Keep up the great work!

No, anything is fair game. Just ask the bloggers (I kid, I kid). But when writing, I lean on the answers to my questions because that's often the story I'm working on.

Jim from Rancho Cucamonga, CA

I figured it out. The only difference between when Rodgers took over for Brett Favre and now with Love taking over for Rodgers is this Q&A column. In 2008, it had not been created. Now we get to talk about this in a much different way. Thanks for the opportunity for us to ask and receive your thoughts as the transition progresses.

Boy, I can only imagine the chaos if Ask Vic/Inbox was around back then.

Jon from Soldiers Grove, WI

Hey guys, I have always appreciated the fact that I could trust the Inbox not to feature clickbait. But Wes, your closing line on Friday was clickbait. Nothing more, nothing less. Just hoping Mike does his part! Gonna chuckle about that all day!

…while I chuckle all weekend. One more week to go before the NFL's big break.