Dan from Kanwal, Australia
Spoff! You were commissioner for a day and didn't change all goal posts to lasers? Shame on you!
My bad.
Russ from Kronenwetter, WI
What is the Packers' biggest need?
Improvement.
Nate from Naples, FL
It's time to address the serious, offseason issue of new laundry. The Pack will have new alternate uniforms in 2020, correct? Do you have any suspicion of what they might roll out? Another throwback paying tribute to the past? Or maybe we see a gold jersey for a head-to-toe cheese look?
I have not heard anything yet, but stay tuned.
Richard from Menasha, WI
We are thinking of going to a Packer road game next season. Excluding the NFC North teams where do you think would be the best road game would be?
For atmosphere, New Orleans. For the stadium, Lucas Oil in Indy. For the rare matchup, Houston.
Rob from London, UK
You answered this before the season and I'm curious how your answer might have changed. If you could sign one player from each of our division rivals, who would you take?
Eric Kendricks, Kenny Golladay, Tarik Cohen.
Kevin from Holmen, WI
There's been lots of chatter about drafting wide receiver help and an inside linebacker with our top picks in the 2020 draft, but running back may be just as important. With Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams set to be free agents after next year and Dexter Williams still an unknown, this is a position that cannot be an afterthought in the draft if the right player is there for the taking.
Couldn't agree more. Hence my third choice above.
John from New Windsor, NY
I am so tired of hearing that Aaron Rodgers is done at 36. Does everyone (e.g. the "pundits") forget that Brady won his last Super Bowl at 41, Peyton at 39, Elway at 37 and 38? Great quarterbacks who had great supporting casts. Rodgers is better AND YOUNGER than these three, and has Gutey aligning the stars around him. A run-stopper, a TE, and a No. 1a WR to match Adams and here we go! Seems like the window will be open for five more years, and not slammed shut. Thoughts?
I must be all out of Amens by now.
Luke from Fort Worth, TX
I've got a question for y'all. What's the best catch you've seen 17 haul in? I'm stuck between the snag in Jacksonville (when 12 had a DB on his back) or his catch against Atlanta on the pylon. Both of which were actually touchdown catches.
The one in Jacksonville definitely ranks up there. I also always think of the one in Philly in '16 on Monday night, sliding in the back of the end zone with the ball dropping just over the shoulder and through the arms of the defender. I still don't know how Adams saw the ball, and he told me in an interview once he didn't actually see it until just before it hit his hands. Yet somehow his hands were in the right place. Phenomenal throw and catch.
Patrick from St. Charles, MO
Regarding onside kicks, what if the kicker actually aimed at a front-line player on the opposing team and kicked a fastball right at him, expecting the ball to bounce off that player and back to the kicking team? This actually happened to my team in high school. That time was almost definitely by accident, but I bet Mason Crosby could do it intentionally.
That happened in the Bears-Lions game on Thanksgiving this year. It's the best shot at a surprise onside kick with the current rules, but it's not really a viable solution when the opponent knows it's coming.
Brian from Menominee, MI
For the life of me, I can't remember how the running joke of lunch stealing originated. Do you care to refresh our memories, or do you prefer to keep it a mystery for those of us that forgot?
C'mon, you know the answer to that.
Robert from Salem, WI
Are there any rule changes you foresee coming to the league? And do you see any tweaking being done to the review related to the pass interference, since it basically seemed that the officials never wanted to overrule the call on the field...
I'm guessing the PI review rule gets scrapped.
Max from Madrid, Spain
The mock drafts are already starting (I know, I KNOW it's early and they are useless) but an interesting thing was that there were six (!) WRs in the first round. I've read that it's a deep class at WR so that might be our thing here. One or two are bound to slip down since the big boys (OL/DL) are going to fly off the board and QBs are always reached for. This might be the year to pick one high?
That's one way to look at it. Or if the draft is really that deep at receiver, maybe you could get one in the second or third round who would be drafted much higher in a more average year.
Kyle from Ooltewah, TN
Following up the Michael from CA question about draft priorities, Vic constantly harped on getting the big guys earlier and wideouts were not a draft priority. I still concur that first round is likely a lineman; however, I really think in this new pass era, difference-making WRs are likely found in the first two rounds. In the last 20 years, the only Packer WRs that ending up being a consistent threat (if they made the team) were taken in the first 75 picks, the exception being Driver. 2020 WR RD2.
James Jones was picked 78th, but your point is valid. I like a lot of the talent the Packers have at wide receiver, but I look at the position right now like a baseball team's starting rotation. If you add another guy near the top to allow the other talent to slide down a spot, the entire group would look stronger.
Kathleen from Fond du Lac, WI
To an observation about whether there were any other sports figure besides Kobe whose untimely death created such ripples in society's conscience...two come to mind...Dale Earnhardt's deadly crash in the 2001 Daytona 500, and Reggie White's passing in his sleep in 2004. Reggie's passing did impact two great football franchises and fans (Green Bay, Philadelphia) along with his ministry.
Two meaningful comparables.
Dana from Eau Claire, WI
Insiders, who are the two younger players (rookie/second year) you are most excited about seeing grow and develop over the next couple of years?
My list is longer than two. Off the top of my head, Rashan Gary, Darnell Savage, Jace Sternberger, Josh Jackson and Equanimeous St. Brown would be my top five.
Corey from Bethlehem, PA
As a Packers fan and an avid Insiders reader, I find myself emotionally attached and invested to almost every player on the roster. The fact that there's a chance Blake Martinez as well as a few others won't be back hurts, but I understand. How do you deal considering you have more interactions with the team?
You understand it's just part of the business. It's hard to see some guys leave, and not to sound cold, but I've just gotten used to it.
Brian from New Port Richey, FL
It will be hard for the Packers to better their 13-3 season. Yet, because they won ugly so many times, their improvement next season could be in their style of play. That perception will be in the hands of Aaron Rodgers. If he can buy into Matt LaFleur's up-tempo concepts, as we saw briefly in the NFC Championship Game, that could be their measure of improvement. To accomplish this, Rodgers will need to curtail his constant pre-snap analysis and just run the play called. Is this possible?
Going up-tempo means staying in the same personnel, which keeps the defense in the same personnel, limiting the changes and adjustments they make and presumably reducing how much pre-snap analysis is needed. It's a completely different way of operating, which requires packages of plays that get repped by specific personnel groups over and over. I think in Year 1 of LaFleur's offense, they had to limit those packages to two-minute situations, and there was so much else to work through they couldn't expand the menu to go up-tempo at other times. You can't burn what you might run in two-minute in the first quarter. I think the menu expansion is coming in Year 2.
Frank from Wake Forest, NC
I love looking at stats, but one that escapes me is passes defended. I think that means the pass is knocked down. If so, do DL or edge rushers get credit for a PD if they hit the ball at the line of scrimmage?
Yes.
Shaun from Sun Prairie, WI
Any key thoughts on the Super Bowl this weekend? Your keys to the game?
Kansas City has to stop the run, and San Francisco has to keep Mahomes in the pocket. Neither guarantees victory, but failure in either area will make winning far more difficult.
Al from Green Bay, WI
I have lots of respect for both coaches in the Super Bowl matchup. Which of them is more likely to have something new (like the "Philly Special") in his back pocket?
They both will.
Scott from Milwaukee, WI
Do you think the Chiefs have enough offense to overcome the 49ers' crushing defense and win the big game?
Yes, I do. I like the Chiefs in a close one. I think the more dynamic quarterback wins it in the fourth quarter.
Garrett from Knoxville, TN
If you had to pick, what position does Gutekunst target in free agency this year?
It depends on what the market looks like. No one will know who's really available until the time comes.
Chuck from Sun City, AZ
I place a wager on a sporting event and lose. Later it is determined that the winner cheated (Astros, etc.). Should I not receive a refund?
Good luck with that.
Thomas from Evansville, IN
Favorite memory of/moment from this season? Mine is probably Rodgers to Williams in the back of the end zone against the Chiefs.
Hard to argue. Jones around left end to the house in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank in Week 16 is in the conversation, too.
Cindy from Los Angeles, CA
Hi Insiders, I saw Scott Tolzien was hired to be an assistant coach by McCarthy in Dallas. What qualities did you see from Tolzien during his time with the Packers that might indicate success as a coach?
He's a tireless worker and an intelligent guy who never wants to stop learning. If he finds a passion in coaching, those traits will help him maximize the opportunity.
Shane from Okeechobee, FL
Mike said Kevin King looked better in man than zone coverage. What does a corner do to improve in zone? Film study to recognize route combos better and reading said QB's eyes?
That and just gaining a better feel on the field for spacing and timing, for passing off routes to teammates, reading what's coming your way, and communicating all those things effectively. Developing a feel leads to developing instincts, which then allows the player to play faster. It just takes reps, and that's why it was so important for King to play a full season in 2019. He missed a lot of reps his first two years.
Tyler from Green Bay, WI
Since the baloney machine is back up and running, I have a question regarding this "worst 13-3 team in NFL history" nonsense. Ignoring the 2019 Saints who lost a home game on wild-card weekend, are we really going to pretend the 2017 Minnesota Vikings never happened?
This entire discussion thread needs to end. Last week.
Margeaux from Tallahassee, FL
Guys, take heed the words of a learned man as you slog through the posts submitted by many experts during this interminable offseason. "There are some people who, if they don't already know, you can't tell 'em."
Nothing like a Yogi-ism with pitchers and catchers reporting soon.
Jim from Tempe, AZ
I can't understand why the Packers don't draft all the best players, sign all the best FAs, resign all their best FAs, uncover every undrafted diamond in the rough and develop them into All-Pros, and manage the cap so as to not mortgage the future. Seems like we'd all be a lot happier and have a Lombardi Trophy to celebrate every season if they'd just follow this simple fail-proof plan. Come to think about it, why wouldn't every team do this?
Happy Wednesday.
