Mark from Big Bear City, CA

Good morning, Wes. I, for one, am so happy you and Mike are here to keep use grounded. Because with all of the baloney bait out there, we have a place to fact check all the baloney and man there's a lot out there.

And with that, the deli is officially open.

Bruce from Appleton, WI

Will Matthew Golden get more playing time this year?

Indubitably and he sure looks to be ready for it.

Mark from Westminster, CO

I think we are going to miss Romeo Doubs more than most people think. Hoping Coach LaFleur decides to use Golden significantly more this year, because we are going to need him.

Doubs is a great football player who instantly makes the New England Patriots better on the perimeter. He made so many huge catches during his time with the Packers and will go down as one of Brian Gutekunst's best Day 3 picks. That said, Matthew Golden is cut from a different athletic cloth. He has a premium traits and tools to take this Packers offense to another level. With a year under his belt, it's time for Golden to soar.

Josh from Seattle, WA

Who would you want to be the breakout player of the year on O/D? Golden is obvious pick on O, but on D it's hard to pick a breakout player. I would love to Javon Bullard breakout from a great tackler into a game-changer with turnovers.

Bullard would be my pick, as well. He had a great season in 2025 but was missing the takeaways. Given the physicality with which he plays in the slot, I feel like those will come in Year 3 whether it's interceptions, forced fumbles or both.

George from North Mankato, MN

Hello Wes, is there a special teams "ace" that you feel has a chance to get additional snaps on offense or defense?

I feel like Ty'Ron Hopper is ready, though there's still a logjam at linebacker with Zaire Franklin replacing Quay Walker. Hopper is a heat seeker on the field who doesn't hesitate when finishing to the ball carrier. He just needs the opp.

Jim from Mundelein, IL

It seems likely to me that the Packers will be as strong as the ability of current roster players to improve their play. Is there any indication that Kitan Oladapo can be an effective DB starter? Appreciate any light in darkness of the offseason.

The Packers letting Zayne Anderson walk says something about their comfort with Oladapo, who is poised to assume more responsibility on special teams and defense. We've said since Day 1 that Oladapo has an NFL frame and he's the truest example of a natural free safety from that 2024 draft class. He just has to stay ready behind Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams.

Scott from Manson, IA

Jeffrey from Eveleth's comment about manhole covers made me think about a comment Mike Ditka made about George Halas' legendary tight-fisted ways: "George throws a nickel around like it was a manhole cover." So glad Brian Gutekunst and Russ Ball are both fiscally responsible and yet realistically open minded.

No different than you have to spend money to make money in business, NFL teams have to spend money to win games. You just gotta make sure you're spending it on the right players and people.

Gary from Chippewa Falls, WI

Is there a point where receiver money is too much?

Again, that depends on the player. I'm reminded of when max contracts became a thing in the NBA. There were a select few who rightfully commanded that compensation based on their contributions to winning organizations. Then, there were some players who wanted to be the highest-paid players but couldn't back it up. It's up to the team to separate the wheat from the chaff. Wins and losses depend on it.

Nate from Kewaskum, WI

Quarterback Josh Johnson is preparing for his third tour with the Cincinnati Bengals. He's played on (a record) 14 different teams and has switched teams 23 times. He hasn't been with the Bengals in 11 years. This guy must be a master of month-to-month leases. Have there been any Packers players to have been on the roster three separate times?

Johnson has had a career for the record books. I can see NFL historians 100 years from now asking each other, "What was going on with that Johnson guy?" Tramon Williams is the only player I can think of who had three different stints with the Packers. During his final season, Williams signed to Green Bay's practice squad prior to the 2021 NFC Divisional game vs. San Francisco but didn't play.

Dan from Catonsville, MD

Hi Wes: Much has been written about signing players, the draft, signing or retaining coaches with the Packers. The biggest item to me, as a fan of learning, is to reduce the number of serious injuries with the Packers. It was stated on an NFL playoff broadcast that the Eagles were the least injured team over the last four years, thus their success. Whatever the Eagles are doing the Packers have to get in on! Our roster is good enough to win the Super Bowl if we can avoid injury!

I couldn't tell you the secret to Philly's sauce, Dan. But if that is true, I assure you the Packers are paying attention. It's a copycat league with a 100% injury rate. If the Eagles are keeping their players on the field at a noticeably higher clip than the rest of the NFL, the rest of the NFL is taking notes.

Mark from Madison, WI

I know the Packers like players that can play multiple positions such as offensive line as defensive back. Do you see our outside linebacker/defensive end playing off-ball linebacker. Wasn't Micah Parsons an off-ball linebacker at Penn State?

Not with any more frequency than they did last year. Parsons is a unicorn who played off-ball linebacker during his rookie year in Dallas but also has Hall of Fame potential as a pass rusher. It's why the Cowboys moved him to edge rusher and the reason he's stayed there.

Tony from United Kingdom

Hi Wes, I hope you had a wonderful holiday and welcome back! Hope you have more vacation time before the season starts, but does it ever end for you? You mentioned the need for more O-line players and you're right. On the D side, I've read a lot about CB D'Angelo Ponds, and he might be available for the Packers? Indiana really played inspiring football, so he should bring both talent and attitude to the Packers, but your thoughts please. Can Pack get both?

The Packers don't have a first-round pick but still have the resources to get what they need from this draft. Ponds is a premier athlete with a 43½-inch vertical that makes him one of this year's top cornerbacks. He also might not be on the board when Green Bay picks in the second round. The drawback with Ponds is he's only 5-9, standing a hair beneath the minimum height the Packers have previously held on their corners.

James from Appleton, WI

I'm sorry to see Emanuel Wilson go, but his departure isn't just due to the market and his opportunities. If – if, if, if – MarShawn Lloyd starts the season like he's shot out of a cannon, then the Packers have to find a way to get him enough carries as a No. 2 back to feel good about his durability and to make a decision about his future. Right now, you wouldn't want to hitch your wagon to him.

There's been a lot of ifs with Lloyd the past two years. Hopefully, his body can soon provide the when. Because the want to is there.

Brian from Pensacola, FL

Outside of the Packers, are there any storylines out there in the league you are following this offseason that you have particular interest in? Now that the first wave has settled, I'm very intrigued by what happens with the Raiders. Although a lot of money was spent, I think Maxx Crosby leaving was a key element allowing them to spend which I can't assumed would have happened if the Crosby deal never happened. What is the best a last place team has done the following year?

The Raiders rank high on that list, but the Giants are the NFL team that intrigues me most. Both New York teams have been in the cellar for a while now, but the Giants finally have motion with Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers. Can John Harbaugh be the man who finally puts it all together for the G-Men?

Al from Green Bay, WI

Wes, with the first waves of free agency now behind us, are there any remaining FAs out there that you're secretly hoping will land in Green Bay?

I'm not rooting for any particular outcome, but I am curious to see what happens with Trevon Diggs. It's been all quiet on that front for two months now.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI

I know this isn't a strategy Gutekunst should rely on, but as an armchair GM I, for one, hope for the best and assume Desmond Ridder can play effectively in the preseason and hold a clipboard with the best of them for 21 games next season.

That would be optimal, my friend.

Dar from Mansfield, TX

Charles from New Berlin is seeking new goals now that he's had questions answered by Ed Policy, Cliff, and in Inbox. Because it's the offseason and we're all trying to improve, let me help. His next level might be creating a question used in Outsider Inbox. That's II's Super Bowl. Beyond that (cue the "Rocky" theme), the ultimate is "The Double:" two posts, one column. Only a handful have achieved it. It takes high daily effort, skill, and kismet to pull it off. Inbox's version of a perfect game.

Outsider Inbox: The Showcase of the Inbox Immortals. In my opinion, I think hitting for the cycle is having two questions answered with a reply also serving as the headline.

Dennis from Parrish, FL

Aaron Nagler stated that Jeffrey Lee Query had greatest mullet in Packers history, as a wide receiver in 1989-1991. Is this quote historically accurate?

Aaron couldn't be more accurate. The Query mullet was real and it was spectacular.

DT from Santa Fe, NM

What do you think of having a "Jeopardy"-style Inbox during the slow season where IIers submit "answers" and you guys respond with a question that matches the answer?

Hey, this column is for the people. If y'all want a "Jeopardy" format during this year's Outsider Inbox, I'm ready and willing to give it a shot on one of the days.

Gavin from Albuquerque, NM

Stolen lunches: I may know someone who had food regularly disappearing from the work fridge without permission. So, they baked some brownies with chocolate laxatives in them and made sure to not invite anyone to have one...the problem sorted itself out.

Commiserations to the nearest Mike Spofford Memorial Commode.

Preston from Tallahassee, FL

Hi Wes (and IIers)! If you will indulge, I'd like to make an argument for consideration for Packers.com. I respect the position on "official" announcements, but at times there have been mentions of "reported " signings, etc. inside the Inbox. For me (and I think most GBP fans) we would love to come here for what IS being reported rather than elsewhere. Just qualify what is known vs reported. I cannot stand having to go elsewhere and would prefer to take my clicks to Packers.com. This is home.

Thank you for calling this home, Preston. We do the best we can, but I will say we usually tackle pretty much every topic under the sun whether it's official or reported.

Jenna from Lowell, OH

Does the franchise realize what a huge fan base they have and how much people love the story of the team, town, and people?

I think so. If not, then you probably should find a different place to collect a paycheck. But Monday's Celebration of Life for Bob Harlan was a good reminder of how much we all love Packers football. On a personal level, it was inspiring to listen to Kevin Harlan, Ed Policy, Mike McCarthy, Mark Murphy and Ron Wolf talk about Harlan and his contributions to this fabled place. As a good friend of mine Gordon "Red" Batty once said, "It's in the bricks." Well, men like Bob Harlan made sure it stayed there.

Doug from Neenah, WI

Good morning, Wes. There are a lot of intriguing prospects in this year's draft class, but the one player Inbox readers should know about is Tyren Montgomery, often referred to as Ty. He played wide receiver for the John Carroll Blue Streaks and earned D-III All-American honors. Ty was invited to the American Bowl and Senior Bowl where he held his own against FBS competition. At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, do you think he's big enough to eventually switch to running back for the Packers?

You just couldn't help yourself, could you?

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