Greg from Proctorville, OH

Since your sprints from the refrigerator to your cubicle have been timed, II readers deserve to know who had the best times. And we would like to know if the sprinters were handicapped because of the weight of the lunch bags?

Once again we're off, so we might as well get going.

Nathan from Manitowoc, WI

How important do you think it was to Mark Murphy personally to get the NFL Draft to Green Bay before he retired?

Pick your synonym for very.

Matt from Bloomington, IN

So what is the weather usually like in late April in Green Bay? I'm interested in checking it out, but I can't help but wonder what the average and record temps are for that time of year. What should a fan reasonably expect?

It could be 70 degrees, or we might get two feet of snow. You truly never know.

Darryl from Glen Carbon, IL

So, where we going to put all these people?

James has some ideas.

James from Appleton, WI

Getting a jump on the logistics for the 2025 NFL Draft, I suppose if they kept the bars open all night, that would ease the crunch on hotel rooms. Maybe bring two or three cruise ships through the St. Lawrence Seaway and park them in the Green Bay harbor. Otherwise, as the scout master said while looking over the jamboree, "This is going to be in tents!"

I really like the cruise ship plan. Seriously. But the ice probably won't all be gone by then, so I'm not sure how they'd get the ships into the bay.

Nate from Blue Springs, MO

Just FYI... As someone who recently dealt with the NFL Draft literally across the street from where I work, prepare yourself now. For over a month, streets and certain activities were shut down and travel in the city was inconvenienced more than it already was. It's interesting to witness and experience but I was frustrated and ready for it to be over well before the first name was called.

Travel inconveniences are rather rare around here. We'll deal with it and then get over it.

Rick from Bluffton, SC

What if anything do you think the city or team will need to do before the 2025 draft? Is everything in place right now or do you think promises were made to add to the area.

The Packers and the city waited until they knew the Resch Expo Center across the street would be finished so it would help the bid and be included as part of the event.

Matt from Waunakee, WI

Hi Mike, here's hoping the Packers don't trade away the 2025 first-round pick.

The memo has already hit Gutey's desk.

Florian from Kronach, Germany

Please promise us both of you will announce Packers draft picks live on stage in 2025.

Wes is working on getting a root beer sponsor for the beverage he'll bring with him.

Gary from Davenport, IA

I have an idea to make the Green Bay draft unique. Roger Goodell should be greeted with a rousing, standing ovation when he enters the stage. I never understood the booing at all the other drafts. Let's be different and be classy. Do you think there's any chance of that happening?

If any NFL city can buck a trend, it's this one. But I'm not counting on it.

Tom from Dade City, FL

Congratulations to our Green Bay Packers organization on scoring the 2025 NFL Draft! It should be a huge boost to the area and local businesses. My question deals with the speed we now potentially have with our wide receivers. I could see the jet sweep making a comeback this year. with opposing teams likely to key off (at first anyway) on JL, I would imagine openings for the sweep. What are your thoughts on it?

I suspect we'll see a lot more of it now, both as a running option and as a decoy.

Jon from Lynn, MA

Hi guys, I had a thought about the TNF flex scheduling that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere yet. It's obviously a disservice to the paying fans attending the game, but with a minimum 28-day advanced notice if a game is being flexed, that's a four-week window where a team could hit a losing skid, a star player could get injured, or anything else. It's a week-to-week league, and trying to arrange matchups four weeks in advance may not work out as the league intends.

It's an extremely limited proposal, with Thursday flex being available only for five weeks (Weeks 13-17), and it can only be used a maximum of twice in that time. That said, as much as I disagree with Thursday flexing due to its disservice to the ticket-buying fans, I think a better approach would be what the league does for those late-season Saturday slates. It notes a few on the original schedule as possibilities for those Saturday slots and then selects them when it gets closer. If they did the same thing for Thursdays, then everyone would know which games are (and are not) subject to getting flexed to Thursday. Greater foreknowledge for all with the flexibility the league seeks. But Roger didn't ask for my opinion.

Jake from Decatur, GA

Joe Barry was talking the other day about the proverbial "handful of plays" each game that determine the result. But of course that's technically true of any handful of plays ("If these four 2-yard rushes had instead each gone for 70 yards and a TD, we'd have scored 28 more points!"). How do coaches identify and decide which "handful of plays" really matter? Is it a different analysis for offense and defense? And what do they do once they've decided which plays they care about?

That's the beauty of the game, never knowing which plays are going to turn out to be the most pivotal. Amongst all the third downs, turnovers, crunch-time moments, etc., the plays that decide a game are relatively easy to pinpoint in retrospect. At times of course, everyone knows live, in the moment. But not always.

Joe from Hampshire, IL

Which Packer or NFL player did you try to replicate as a fifth grader at recess time, or in the backyard with friends on a Saturday afternoon? Will this make the cut for Outsider Inbox V?

I'll leave the latter up to Wes, but my answer is Walter Payton.

Steve from Birchington, UK

Hi Spoff/Wes. I was wondering if you knew which team is participating in "Hard Knocks" this year?

It hasn't been announced yet.

Tom from Lisbon, WI

Regarding Arnie from Kirkwood's question about why 8-9 feels more hopeful than 13-3, I think it's because of the weight of unmet expectations and disappointment of previous years. We still expected a Super Bowl contender, but I at least was also dreading heartbreak again. This year I'm left with hopeful optimism and curiosity. Even a bad season won't feel like a disappointment.

I understand what you're saying, but I just don't understand the fan mentality of "dreading heartbreak." Given the choice between heartbreak and a season that'll never matter, I'll take the former every time.

Mark from Geneva, IL

I haven't been more excited for the start of OTAs in years. So many questions to be answered! I am looking forward to your reports the next few weeks. Are you allowed to attend all of the OTA sessions?

One per week. Tuesday's practice was our first one, then one each of the next two weeks. We also will have access to the minicamp in mid-June, but no details have been released.

Mark from Big Bear City, CA

Good morning II, just wondering how Tariq Carpenter is looking after the offseason? Does it look like he's been busy in the weight room? Would be nice to see him take that second-year leap.

He didn't look much different to me, but he was pretty impressive physically as a rookie already. He was playing inside linebacker rather than safety in Tuesday's workout.

Rod from Chugiak, AK

Zach Tom created quite an appreciative following for his Elgton Jenkins-like ability to be plugged in anywhere along the OL on a moment's notice and perform at a high level. Almost as noteworthy as his versatility is that he did so well, though undersized and before NFL quality strength and conditioning. And so we wait expectantly, not only to see where he'll be positioned, but whether a body change has been wrought by an offseason in the weight room. Anything apparent to the eye?

At first glance yesterday, Tom looked a bit thicker. He appears more stout than last year, but I'm admittedly basing that strictly on my eyes and memory. At some point when we hear from him, I'll be curious what he shares about his offseason.

John from Livermore, CA

Any bold predictions for OTAs? What are you watching for?

Wes and I previewed several storylines in our latest "Unscripted."

Ryan from Annandale, MN

Good thing we retained Keisean Nixon for fair catches this upcoming season.

He's not familiar with that term.

Eric from Washington, DC

On the one hand, the new rule treating fair catches on kickoffs as touchbacks, spotting the ball at the 25, would seem to remove a major aspect of ST from the game, neutralizing any advantage for teams who previously excelled in that area. On the other hand, an elite return specialist might feast on opponents that now see far fewer real-life reps in kick coverage. If Nixon shows early on that the 25-yard line is his floor, might we see GB reap a significant advantage from going "return happy"?

Interesting perspective. Reading that reminded me of the Wisconsin Badgers' season opener in 1997. After four years of kicker John Hall booming touchbacks, the Badgers actually had to cover a kick and the opening kickoff was returned for a touchdown by Syracuse.

Jimmy from Madison, WI

Does the release of Parker White mean the competition for kicker is over on the first day of OTAs? Or does it mean Mason Crosby is on speed dial? Thanks!

Specialists know they're always competing with all the specialists on other rosters, plus those available on the street. That's just understood. But the Packers are going to give Anders Carlson every opportunity to nail down the job.

Jeff from Omaha, NE

Given the way the game is played now, and the impact of free agency on player tenure with a single team, which Packers team record do you see as the least likely to be broken? Career rushing yards, career passing yards, career receiving yards, or career points scored?

Points scored.

Tom from Spencer, WI

More of a comment in regards to games on a streaming network and whether they are available on local TV. Last year's Amazon's GB game was available on the local stations in Green Bay and Milwaukee but in the Wausau viewing area it was not. We got the short end of the stick!

I believe the NFL defines a team's "local" market as a 75-mile radius from the home stadium, but Milwaukee has always been included as it relates to the Packers.

Andy from Lancaster, PA

Hey Inbox! I have a short question of curiosity about your jobs specifically. What exactly is the hierarchy in the digital department? How many degrees separate you from Mark Murphy?

Wes and I both report to an assistant director, who reports to a director, who reports to a VP, who reports to a COO, who reports to Mark.

Mike from DeForest, WI

According to Sharp Football Analysis, there are stats that say it's dead even whether you receive or defer the kickoff. When the smoke clears, however, there is a 12% increase in the potential to steal a possession at the end of the first half which makes deferring the best decision. Is reporting the math the same as doing the math?

Not at all, and I like that line of thinking.

Dave from Germantown, TN

Do you think, on an obvious passing down, the Packers will line up with Lukas Van Ness and Rashan Gary as the inside rushers with Preston Smith and Kingsley Enagbare on the outside? The other side can only double one of them.

Anything's possible, but I'm not sure there are many third downs I wouldn't want Kenny Clark pushing that pocket.

Ethan from La Crosse, WI

I admit I'm not much of a baseball fan, but I'd argue the MLB's regular season is more meaningless than the NBA and NHL. With 182 games, you would think they could find a way to play at least one series against every team. You don't even need the games after the All-Star break to know who the top teams in the league will be.

Well, first off, it's 162 games, not 182, and this year's new schedule does have all matchups occurring in at least one series league-wide. But now that 12 of 30 teams make the playoffs, it does devalue the regular season, especially compared to not long ago when only eight teams made it (one wild card), or throughout my youth when only four did.

Johnny from Fort Myers, FL

Since home runs have been mentioned, I'll mention this. I was there for Bo Jackson's 1986 first-ever MLB homer. The ball may still be flying! 475 feet officially. Others said "at least 500 feet." All I know is that it was hit so high and far that I lost its trajectory in a cloud, seriously. The strongest guy I've ever seen!

For those who never got to watch Bo Jackson in action, I highly recommend Jeff Pearlman's biography on him, "The Last Folk Hero." It's terrific.

Jeffrey from Eveleth, MN

Fresh walleye for dinner tonight Spoff. The fish are biting!

Good to know. I'm off to try to catch some crappies after taking in the Brewers game today, so Wes has the con through the holiday weekend. Be nice. Happy Wednesday.